Priori Incantatem
by AthdaraM
Summary: The war is over, but Harry and his friends are still far from a normal life. And when they find out about two persons who survived the war, everything gets complicated... This is a story mostly about Voldemort and about true friendship.
1. Mors Principium Est

_This is a very extensive fanfiction. It took me several months to write it._

_The original story was completely written in German, but now I've decided to translate it into English, so more people can read it._

_My English isnt't perfect at all, so I ask you for some patience with me! ;-)  
But now I have found a wonderful person who agreed to beta-read my translation!  
Likiana, I can't find words to tell you how thankful I am for this! I know it's a lot of work and I still can't believe that you really want to do this! Thank you so much!_

_This fanfiction is mainly about Voldemort who's a very important person to me. In my story he survived the war and gains the chance for a new life. But I also tell the story of Harry and his friends, and the story of Severus Snape._

_I'd love to read your reviews!_

_And here's chapter 1!_

Pain.

An all-surpassing pain blocked his entire perception and paralyzed his whole body. He could only guess his body's existence because the pain defined it. The whole world seemed to consist of this all-encompassingpain. Never before in his life he had experienced agony like this. Never? There was only frustrating emptiness in his thoughts.

What had really happened? He didn't remember.

Somewhere deep inside of him he saw vague reminiscences, but they were so confusing that he did not know where they came from. Images of destruction and feelings he couldn't understand, horrible, but so far away as if they weren't his own.

The omnipresent pain was surrounded by an incredible darkness. He didn't know where he was, was disorientated. Nothing was in his grasp.

From a place somewhere in the dark he heard the quiet murmuring of at least a dozen voices, talking over each other wildly and excitedly, so he could make out only a few words, fragments of sentences.

Maybe the people were standing right next to him, maybe they were miles away. The pain distorted his perception.

"…can't understand…"

"…impossible…"

"…destroyed him…"

"…where…"

And they were always repeating the same word, a word he didn't know. But the word terrified him by all means.

"Azkaban"

He didn't know what had happened that could cause so much pain. And he didn't understand what the voices wanted from him. Were they even talking about him? They kept repeating a name, but he didn't know if it was his.

All the time this unbearable pain burned inside of his body and kept him from thinking even one clear thought.

And then… his pain exploded. Agony coursed through his body like raging fire. Somebody touched him and the pain made him almost lose his mind.

A long tormented scream left his lips, only ending when merciful darkness carried him away…


	2. Second Chance

Second chance

Three persons stood around the desk in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts, their eyes on the wand lying there broken into two pieces that looked as if they had never been just one.

They stood there in silence for a while, just listening to the jubilating portraits at the wall.

Harry had fought a while with himself. He couldn't decide at once if he should keep or destroy the Elder Wand. To hold and use it was a great temptation. But he knew that this wand in all the years of it's existance had never done anything good.

No, he didn't want to use this wand. His own was always good enough and never betrayed him. . He supposed that the Elder Wand had a dangerous and dark… soul, that would destroy him in the end. Maybe he should ask Olivander. Somedays when everything had calmed down a little.

So Harry used the Elder Wand only once and repaired his own broken wand. No other wand would have been able to do this.

Hermione was very glad about Harry having decided to destroy that destructive wand. She had been scared of her friend choosing another way. Since she had seen the power it unfolded in Voldemort's hands, she felt frightening respect for the Elder Wand, which seemed so harmless now, broken in two.

Only Ron seemed to mourn after the wand. In his head there had been some ideas of what he could have done with it. But in the end he agreed with Harry, that something so dark should not exist in a world full of people, who could be attempted to abuse it. Voldemort surely was not the last black magician of all times and places.

"We should look after Snape", Harry interrupted his friends' thoughts. "I think we should bury him in dignity!"

Hermione nodded, because she had the same idea in mind. The master of potions had never made their life simple and he always had understood very well how to make his lessons hell on earth. But in the end she was more than surprised about his true motivation. She was sure of him being an outstanding brave man, who had given his life for them all at last. And she knew, that Harry could barely stand the fact not being able to show Snape how thankful he was. That's why she understood, why Harry insisted on a dignified funeral for him to honor him the way he deserved it.

Without a word they chose their way up to the Shrieking Shack, where they had to leave their dying teacher after Voldemort had killed him. They passed the secret passage that led from the Room of Requirement to Hog's Head in Hogsmeade. Arriving there they hurried up the stages up to the sliding door. On the stairhead Harry stood for a while in deep contemplation, before he opened the old door.

He would have never expected what he saw in the dusty room.

Severus Snape cowered on the damp floor, his hands folded over his head, his black hair falling over his knees and legs, hiding his face as if he wanted to protect himself against something. His whole body was shaking and he seemed to cry heavily.

Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other in surprise. They had been sure that Snape had been dead, when they had left some hours ago. Finally they had seen with their own eyes when Nagini, Voldemort's snake, had killed him. Harry was absolutely sure the professor wasn't breathing anymore when they went away.

After getting rid of his surprise he lowered to the man on the floor. He could barely believe that he still was alive. He pushed back Snape's hair carefully to look into his face.

"Harry", Hermione called quietly and made him look at her. His eyes followed her finger to the window. On the rotten windowsill sat a bird, beautiful with blood red feathers. Het croaked and lifted his wings slightly when he recognized Harry.

"It is Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix", he said surprised and full of amazement, when he realized what must have had happened.

Hermione nodded and and approved her friend's thoughts: "His tears can heal wounds…"

"He came through the window not long after you had gone", they heard a silent voice.

The trio turned back to Snape who tried to stand up. Harry saw that his former teacher was way too weak to do this on his own, so he and Ron helped him on his shaking feet.

"The Dark Lord?" Snape asked full of fear and looked around franticly as if he feared Voldemort to come through the door to finally kill him. His last acquaintance with the Dark Lord was the worst thing he had ever experienced in his life, except of Lily's death all those years ago.

"He's dead. He was defeated at last", Harry reassured with some kind of pride in his voice.

Harry still could hardly believe that he had been able to defeat Voldemort finally, that the Dark Lord was dead and would never return again.

Snape breathed in deeply. The feeling of relief made him shiver, while a single teardrop ran down his pale cheak. He could barely realize he was still alive and the horror was over.

Hermione pushed Ron slightly and showed him with her eyes that it was time to go. She knew that Harry and Snape needed some time now. Time to talk to each other, time to reconcile.

Ron looked at her irritatedly, but then he understood, nodded and followed Hermione out of the room. Harry showed them a thankful glance and closed the door.

Carefully he helped his former teacher to sit down on a very fragile looking chair. Snape looked at him thankfully and seemed to burst into tears finally.

"Severus", Harry said in a soothing voice. He was everything but sure if he had the right to call the man by his first name, to talk to him so intimately. But he just nodded, so Harry spoke: " I've seen your memories in the pensieve, and…"

The young man's voice broke with the heavy emotions inside his heart.

Snape touched his hand softly and tried to smile, but he didn't say a word, because he was not less emotional than Harry.

"Thank you", Harry just said. Than he stood up, walked over to Snape and embraced him, because he couldn't find words to tell him how he felt.

Snape returned the embrace, and for a while he just appreciated his unbelievable luck that he had survived and that he would never ever have hide his true motivations again.


	3. Dungeon

Imprisoned

The caverns were filled with a deep silence – that special kind of silence which can make you feel scared like hell. Not many people knew about the prison far underneath the surface of the earth. Only the elite of the aurors were able to find their way through the maze of corridors. Only a few had permission to enter the complicated system of caverns. Without a reason there was no access.

To be true – it was a place nobody really ever wanted to visit without a good reason. Whatever a good reason may be…

Every corner was dark and cold and told every visitor that he was absolutely undesired.

The subterrestrial caverns were used to imprison the most dangerous criminals. Even Azkaban wasn't secured like this jail. Apart from this Azkaban could hardly be used since Voldemort had attacked it to free his most loyal Death Eaters about three years ago. Back then several walls of the most secured prison of the wizarding world were blown up, and even now, three years after, there still were hundreds of problems to fix.

So the aurors had to find a far better place to imprison the Death Eaters. A place nobody knew. And they had to invent all new protection spells, because there still were a lot of Death Eaters on the run who probably couldn't resist the temptation to free their allies. The aurors used strong spells and they decided not to use dementors anymore, because those had never been able to fight back Voldemort.

The entchantments and curses that had protected Azkaban were supposed to fight back everything, even the darkest arts, but they had never had the slightest chance against Voldemort. Because Voldemort was so powerful and special – he knew about magic other wizards could only dream of.

Now Azkaban's high secure area didn't exist anymore and the only place that suited the auror's needs was this jail far beneath the Scottish Highlands.

A few weeks after the end of the war the aurors still were busy with interrogating dozens of Death Eaters. This task was extremely difficult. Some of the prisoners declined to answer any questions, others stated to have been influenced by the Imperius curse. The problem was to find out who spoke the truth and who was lying. Using the Crutiatus curse was not allowed as an interrogation method – a fact many aurors didn't like at all.

And then there was this special prisoner, the most stubborn of all, who treated everybody with contempt. Well, to be true, he didn't do anything at all. He just lay there on his plank bed, stared at the ceiling and didn't even move.

Because of him the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt himself, visited the prison to overview what was actually going on. Harlan Goodson, the prison governor didn't feel happy bout his visitor at all. He couldn't stand people who interferred his work and how he did it. He had enough problems of his own.

With a deep frown Shacklebolt was restlessly pacing up and down the office. His discontent about certain facts was written in his face.

"It's imperatively and absolutely necessary to make this prisoner speak", he proclaimed angrily, "We need to put him to trial to show the world, that the British wizarding world is able to stand up against tyranny of any kind! His testimony is absolutely important!"

"This man doesn't respond at all. He's just lying there the whole day and doesn't do anything", Goodson tried to vindicate himself, "Only heaven knows where his mind is gone – it's anywhere but here. We're aurors, Mr Secretary, we're no faith healers!"

"And that is the exact reason why I brought somebody with me who knows about things like these", the Minister stated.

With a thumb he pointed at the person standing right behind him. It was a woman with long black hair falling over her shoulders to frame a pale face that didn't show the slightest emotion. Her body was wrapped up in floating black robes.

"Ms Shannon McAlister is one of the most capable aurors in our times. Besides she studied applied psychology in the muggle world. You can be assured that she knows more about the abysses of the human mind than anybody else. If there is any person in the world who can make him talk, it's her." Shaklebolt said and looked at the jail governor with contempt.

Goodson wrinkled his nose scornfully with and angry expression on his face.

"You must be kidding!" he spit, "Do you really think muggle methods would work on this… man?"

"Well, your interrogation methods didn't work on him at all, did they? I don't think we can call your efforts successful", McAlister said calmly.

She had an ice cold voice that possibly had the ability to cut steel. The glance from her dark eyes was icy in the same way. She made a shiver run down Goodsons spine. Everything inside of him was striving against her. He didn't want this scary woman to talk to anyone, not even to this special prisoner.

"Believe me", Shacklebolt spoke on, "There's never been anyone the lady didn't make tell her everything."

These were the Minister's last words. He departed quickly. Probably he would have disapparated right out of Goodsons office, but that wasn't possible inside the caverns. Everything of this prison was threatening in a way that made one leave as soon as possible.

"Well", Goodson made up his mind finally, "First we must find some accommodation for you…"

He glanced at the woman suspiciously. There was a premonition in his mind that told him about this woman messing up his perfectly organized prison.

McAlister shook her head reluctantly: "No, I want to be brought to this prisoner immediately. I want to start to work with him as soon as possible.".

Her utterly emotionless voice made the prison governor shiver.

"As you may suppose", he sighed and gave one of the guards an order to guide the woman to a very special cell.


	4. Refuge

Harry Potter and his allies had found a hideaway at Shell Cottage, where Bill Weasly and his pregnant wife Fleur lived. It was property of the Weasley family for ages. Here at the Scottish west coast it provided a perfect view out to the sea. The nearest neighbors lived a few miles apart on the other side of the hill. So far away from everything the Cottage was the perfect refuge.

And the people living here for a few weeks now needed nothing more than a refuge. Here they could try to find a way back to a normal life. They all knew that this path was going to be hard and exhausting. The dark times Voldemort had caused had left their traces on everyone, had given them deep wounds that possibly would never heal.

The crucial Battle of Hogwarts had happened not long ago. They all still felt the fear of death, before Harry had finally been able to defeat Voldemort at the very last of all moments, when everything already had seemed to be lost. Afterwards everybody wanted to be the first to congratulate him. They had passed him around like some kind of trophy until he was fed up and disapparated with his friends.

Of course everybody wanted to know every detail of how he defeated Voldemort. There had been countless people asking countless questions. The aurors wanted to hear a statement and the Phrophet's reporters wanted to interview him. But Harry didn't want to talk about it. The only thing he really wanted for him and his friends was to disappear to a place where they could gather, talk to each other and mourn about the dead. Maybe later, when he had calmed down and had come to terms with everything that had happened, he would talk to them. But not now.

They all had to do so much grieving that they wouldn't have been able to do it alone. They all just didn't want to be alone at all and Shell Cottage seemed to be a perfect place. Remus, Tonks and Fred were missing so badly that they could hardly stand the pain. The memory seemed to be hanging in every corner.

Luna, the good soul that she was, had consented to take care of Teddy, the newborn son of Tonks and Remus. Neville, who had shown more courage in front of Voldemort than anyone would have ever thought, took the chance to help her wherever he could.

And there was George at last, who hadn't spoken a single word since the death of his twin brother. He blocked every try to comfort him and ran through the rough landscape day after day. He didn't want to be touched by anyone, not even by his mother whose broken heart would perhaps never heal.

There was a heavy silence hanging over the Cottage. Since they all had come here there wasn't a single laughter to be heard. There were moments everybody thought he would never be happy again. It was a feeling as if a horde of dementors was circling above the roof. Of course they all felt relieved that the war was over at last, but some of them had a much higher price to pay than he could afford.

Some of them experienced heavy nightmares that brought back the fear, the screams of the dying and the scaring pictures every night. Even the most powerful wizard would not have been able to cope with so much horror. For those young people it seemed impossible.

Voldemort was dead, but the hate people felt for him was still alive.

Harry spent most of his time talking with Severus about the past, because he didn't want to think about the presence or even the future. Since he had been eleven years old he had always had had a target in his life – he would finally have to destroy his archenemy. Now the deal was done he felt a depressing emptiness inside of himself. Even he had hated Voldemort with all his might, even he wanted his death more than everyone else, the Dark Lord had always been a part of his life that was missing now.

He would never forget the moment when Voldemort, struck down by his own death curse the Elder Wand had thrown back at him, fell to the floor. Harry was haunted every night by something he had seen in his enemy's eyes in the moment of his death. Even when he was awake he was thinking about Voldemorts last look before he hit the ground. Something had been wrong with those eyes, but he couln't find out what it was, even though he really tried. The moment the Dark Lord had died Harrys scar had hurt so badly that he had fallen down on his knees with a tormented scream. He had needed several minutes until he had been able to see clearly again. At that time they had already carried Voldemort's body away and he had been glad not having to see him anymore.

But still he couldn't get rid of the thought about Voldemort's last look. Particularly because his scar was still burning – he couldn't understand this at all.


	5. Longing

Everyone who lived in the Cottage was searching for any kind of activity to survive the day. Molly was the one who did the most things just for doing things. She cleaned up the whole house from the cellar up to the attic, and when she was done she started all over again. As long as she was working she didn't have to ponder. But as soon as she lay in her bed every evening the memories of her dead son haunted her, so she couldn't sleep and cried the whole night through.

Hermione and Ginny cared for the big and very overgrown garden. They wanted to make the most of the short Scottish summer, so they spent many hours together, but they didn't talk very much to each other. Especially Ginny had fallen into deep silence and seemed to be miles away. After a while Hermione decided to break the silence.

"What's going on in your head?" Hermione asked carefully.

Ginny sighed. "Harry cuts himself more and more out of my life. I've started to think he doesn't want to see anyone of us anymore. He's talking to Snape for hours and hours, but he's talking to nobody else."

Hermione could only guess how much Ginny was hurt by Harry's behavior. She knew that her friend loved him to death and would have done everything to make him feel better.

"There must be hundreds of things they both need to talk about", Hermione tried to comfort the younger woman, "There's nobody in the world who could tell him more about his parents than Snape. Maybe it sounds weird, but I think he's already become a part of Harry's family. I mean, after he had lost everybody else over all of these years Severus is the one who is closest to him…"

"That's really amazing, isn't it? They hated each other like hell for so many years and now…", Ginny replied and contained herself from bursting into tears. She didn't want to show her disappointment, but she would have died for being the one who was closest to Harry.

She pushed away upcoming jealousy harshly and followed Hermione's eyes down to the beach. Snape and Harry were sitting there on a boulder and were talking very excitedly. This was astonishing, because normally Harry was talking as few as possible in the last few days. But when he was with Snape he seemed to be much more relaxed and free and much less contemplative. He seemed to enjoy these hours with his former teacher very much.

Watching this tore Ginny's heart again and again. Of course she understood that both of them had to catch up on so many things. And she knew that Severus was some kind of a missing link between him and his parents, but she couldn't get rid of her suspicion against him.

Harry hadn't touched or even talked to her since the Battle of Hogwarts. She was scared of losing Harry and she just couldn't stand that thought.

Harry and Severus took long walks on the beach or just sat down anywhere to talk almost every day. The cottage was a wonderful place beyond space and time that was deceiving the cruel world out there didn't exist at all. The days went by fast while they were talking. When Harry had seen Severus' memories in the pensieve he understood that this was only the tip of a huge iceberg. Being with Severus nearly gave him a feeling of having his mother around. Severus told Harry everything of his school time and all the wonderful moments with Lily that had been gone forever when she had died so tragically. Sometimes they just sat together in silence, feeling the relief of having each other around.

After a while Harry started to talk about an issue that had been part of his life for so long.

"And Voldemort never became suspicious? Not even a little bit? I'm really impressed, Severus! I mean, he was so paranoid, wasn't he?" Harry asked very appreciatively, after Severus had told him some anecdotes about the Dark Lord.

Snape smiled slightly and felt quite proud of his performance as Dumbledore's spy.

"After I had killed Dumbledore, Voldemort never had a doubt. He would have never thought that I had my very own agenda. He was so totally self—opinionated and busy with his plans that he often just forgot about daily business. One of his greatest errors was to believe that the Elder Wand only answered the wizard who had killed it's former owner. Learning to know that you were the true owner of the wand must have driven him insane…"

"Well", Harry said with an unhappy smile, "He wasn't delighted when he found out. But the death curse had already struck him and it was important no more…"

Again Harry thought about Voldemort's last glance and about what he saw in those eyes and he still couldn't understand it.

But he didn't want to contemplate about Voldemort at all. So he leaned back and enjoyed the warm sunlight on his face. Still he couldn't believe that it was all over. He knew that it would take a long while until he was really aware of the fact that the hunt for the Horcruxes and their owner was finally over. He had to find a new focus and Severus was the one who was able to help him.

Maybe they both won't ever forget about the past and the deep hurt in their souls, but together they had a chance to make it easier. The love for Lily connected those so different men in a wonderful way.

After contemplating for a while Severus finally stood up. The sun was already sinking to the horizon and the air was cooling down rapidly. There were some clouds in the sky that would bring in heavy rain – like every night.

Harry followed his former teacher up to the cottage where Mrs Weasley had already layed the table. It would need a long time until everybody would've really realized the dark days were over. That there was peace and no more Death Eaters would come in surprisingly. The persistent tension still was there.


	6. Cold

Several days after her arrival the auror was still sitting in the prison cell where they kept that special prisoner and remained in silence. The air was cold and damp and made her wish for a warm bath a little more each day. The only source of light was a small lightball, but it spent just a hazy shine of light. One might get depressed in this cell, but the Ministry's orders were clear: The prisoner should not get even a little bit of convenience. He didn't deserve it, they said. And none of them seemed to care about the auror who was damned to share this awful cell with the prisoner.

But she didn't care either. Time and again she ordered a meal or something to drink, but she never moved an inch, just kept on waiting. There was nothing else she could do as long as the prisoner ignored her.

She knew that he was awake.

For a while she was arguing with the prison governor about how to treat that prisoner. At last she had enforced a doctor looking at him. There was no coma or something like that – the man was awake. He was very weak but fully conscious. It seemed he had decided to hide his mind somewhere as if he didn't want to face the world.

Knowing this Shannon McAlister was forced to keep on waiting. But patience never had been a problem. He would talk some day. He had to.

She had looked into his eyes, but she was sure he didn't see her. Maybe she would have been scared of the expression in his face, but things like that didn't scare her at all. She knew how to deal with them, that was part of her profession.

To her the silent man wasn't a prisoner at last. He was a patient. She didn't feel compassion – nobody could expect that - but he needed help to find back. She was determined to help him if he asked her to.

But where should he return to, she wondered. A world was waiting out there where those who knew about him were just waiting for him to wake up. They wanted to put him to trial, enforce a verdict and then… well, everybody could've imagined how this would end.

McAlister didn't support legal practice like death penalty, but she also knew that nobody would ask for her opinion.

She didn't wonder about the fact that he didn't want to wake up and come back. She really understood him. That's why she would never urge him.

But she didn't feel compassion. Not at all. Here in the caverns there was not even one person who felt anything else but hate and disgust. McAlister saw the pitiful glance in the eyes of those who brought her a meal from time to time. There was nobody who wanted to deal with this prisoner.

So she kept on waiting day by day. She didn't care about how long this would last. As long as she was there she knew that he was safe.


	7. Departure

Departure

Harry interestedly watched Severus preparing himself for travelling. He had changed his comfortably clothing for the long black robes he always used to wear at Hogwarts. In his teachers' face Harry recognized that cold expression again, that he got used to over the last seven years.

Obviously the master of potions was planning something.

"You're going to leave?" Harry asked after a while, because Severus didn't seem as if he wanted to tell him anything.

"There are some things I left at Hogwarts and I don't want to leave them there. Besides I have to manage a few things" he said calmly.

Harry knew that he didn't need to ask what it was, because he knew Severus quite well. If he didn't want to talk, he would not. He was rather concerned about the place Severus wanted to go to. Hogwarts was a dangerous place for a Death Eater on the run.

"You know, the aurors are searching for you? Have you forgotten that they still think you're a Death Eater? You're on top of their wanted list!" Harry reminded him.

Severus surely heard the concern in Harry's words and he felt some kind of happy about it. He couldn't remember anybody who had ever been concerned about him.

"I'm aware of this, Harry. At least I'm on the list of those who know that I'm still alive. That shouldn't be too much" Severus explained patiently, "But it is absolutely necessary for me to return to Hogwarts for one last time."

Suddenly Severus seemed as unapproachable as he always used to be. There was nothing left of the friendliness and warmth Harry had experienced in the last few days. Now the young man was even more concerned.

"Let me come with you!" Harry asked after a while, but Severus only shook his head slightly and gave the young man an undefined look.

"That's impossible, Harry, but I'll be back in a few hours", Severus promised.

Harry knew these were Severus' last words and he also knew that it would lead him nowhere to keep asking. The former teacher took the broomstick he had borrowed from Bill, looked at Harry for the last time and flew away. Harry watched him until there was nothing more to see of him than a small spot. There was a voice inside of him that warned him of not seeing Severus again. He couldn't imagine by all means what his former teacher was up to do.

"You're afraid he couldn't come back, aren't you?" a small voice asked from somewhere behind him.

Harry hadn't noticed Ginny who must have been standing there for several minutes now to watch the scenery. He was glad to see her. With a deep sigh he slid his hands in his pockets and made his way back to the house.

"If I only knew his intentions! He was so dismissive as if he didn't want to say a long goodbye. I'm really concerned that I will never see him again!" Harry shouted upset. "Stubborn! He could trust me!"

"He surely left many things behind when he left Hogwarts that night. I'm sure he didn't know Voldemort would kill him on the spot…." Ginny pondered.

Harry nodded slowly. Maybe she was right with what she said, but he could hardly believe it. He was scared to lose his new friend and he just couldn't stand the thought of losing him after he had lost so many friends throughout the war.

After a short while Harry finally noticed who was actually walking next to him and he suddenly got a sore conscience. He suddenly knew how much he had neglected her in the last time. Without saying a word he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. He couldn't even imagine how much this little gesture meant to her.


	8. Awakening

Awakening

„Don't you ever sleep?"

McAlister startled a little when she heard the prisoners strange voice so suddenly. She had been waiting for so long not moving even an inch from his side that she nearly had given up on hearing him talking finally. How long has she already been here? It must have been several days.

And she didn't expect such a peculiar question! She could hardly hide a smile.

"It's a spell. I think you know it", she spoke calmly.

"Yeah…?"

His voice was more silent than before and he drew out the word as if he was contemplating about far memories.

For a while both remained silent.

"I don't know who you are… I just have a vague feeling of knowing you…" He went on staring at the ceiling and contemplating but didn't seem to find the memory he was looking for.

McAlister didn't comment his words. She exactly knew why he knew her and what had happened, but she just didn't want to talk about it. And he was definitely the last person in the world she would talk to about it. But she didn't show any emotions. She even remained calm deep inside – an essential skill in her job.

When they came up asking her to do this precarious task she was contemplating about it for a long while. Finally she had decided that somebody at last had to do this job and that she was perfectly qualified, much better than any other auror. She hated that prisoner passionately, but she knew how to keep the hate closed down deep inside of her. Considering his deeds she was perhaps the only person who was strong enough to work with this special case.

"The people here… doctors… aurors… everybody seems to be disgusted because of me…" he noticed with a great lack of understanding.

The woman with the black hair pressed her lips together, shook her head and answered calmly: "I'm sure there isn't even one single person here whose life wasn't ruined by you in the last years."

He remained silent for a while, so she could relax a little bit.

A few minutes later he decided to ask a question: "I can only see shadows… there are reminiscences of names… no faces… I don't know… Severus… Lucius… Bellatrix… Is this possible? Are they here?"

This time McAlister shook her head more intense. Did he suffer from some kind of amnesia or had he just gone mad?

"Lucius Malfoy?" she asked surprised, "I don't know where he is, but I consider him in Azkaban. Concerning Bellatrix Lestrange and Severus Snape – well, I'm sure they're already waiting for you on the other side."

There was not the slightest trace of emotion in her voice. She had closed up and buried it deep inside of her mind. Not even the most talented legilimentic would be able to find it, but she wasn't quite sure if he could. She had heard about his abilities, he must have been the most talented legilimentic of all time.

The prisoner didn't say anything for a little eternity. They both didn't move. The silence was overwhelming and only disturbed by his breath. His peculiar nose seemed to make breathing difficult. Did the horcruxes deface him so much? She didn't know.

"I don't know the context of these persons. There are just shades of faces. Why are they all dead?" he finally asked a question. Was there bewilderment in his usually so ice cold voice?

McAlister wiped her dark hair from her forehead and took a deep breath. Did he play an evil game with her? Did he make fun of her playing the ignoramus? Or didn't he really remember anything? Who could ever know how much actually had been destroyed by the deadly curse. Anyway it was an inscrutable, gruesome miracle that he had survived the curse – once again.

Patiently she explained with a few words what had happened to his former allies.

He accepted her answer calmly and finally commented: "Well, they deserved it, didn't they? They were completely and utterly bad persons…"

The auror just shrugged and leaned back on her chair. She wasn't here to discuss moral rules with the prisoner. Doing this with him would be useless after all. She just made a note in her mind. She would have noticed every single movement, but he didn't move at all. He just lay there, stared at the ceiling and spoke as if all of these things didn't touch him at all, as if he hadn't been there doing all those cruelties. There was a tiny anger knocking at the door of her mind but she succeeded in ignoring it. It would lead to nowhere, if she started to blame him. She assumed that he just would make fun of it. So she remained silent.

"I killed others, too, didn't I?" he asked a shy question after a while.

It made her blood run cold. She didn't quite know how to answer this hypocritical question. Nobody could forget those cruelties he had done! That was impossible!

"Countless", she just said and bit on her lip to fight back her anger.

He didn't comment her answer and continued staring at the ceiling, while she only wanted to leave – or punch him in his face! But she didn't want him to provoke her, so she remained calm.

After a while he stopped staring at the ceiling for the first time since she was here. He breathed in deeply and turned his back to McAlister who raised a brow in surprise.

"Go!" he said and it sounded as if he was pressing the words through his clenched teeth.

"Get me a newspaper!" he added after a short stop.

It was the first time that he really behaved like he was supposed to do.


	9. Returning

Returning

Severus Snape was standing alone and somehow lost in the dungeons of Hogwarts, where once he had lived and taught. He knew that he would never teach students here again and he had very contraditory feelings about that fact. As long as he could remember he had hated being a teacher, but Dumbledore always wanted to have an eye on him, so there were no other possibilities for having a job than this one. On the other hand he missed his life inside these walls. He never had a home, even when he was living with the members of the order in Sirius Black's house – there he had never been more than a tolerated guest. Since he had been eleven years old Hogwarts was something like a home to him, and deep inside he always had hoped to get old here. As long as Dumbledore had been the headmaster life had been bearable, but after his death every single day had turned out to be Severus' very own hell. Being with all those Death Eaters day after day he had felt lost and ripped apart. The temptation of giving in to the Dark Lord had sometimes been overwhelming and today he wasn't even able to say why he had declined. Had Harry Potter really been so important to him?

Severus knew that he finally had found a friend in the young man, a friend who had forgiven him killing Dumbledore at last – for now he knew the truth. And then… He had never really liked Harry. Every day the young man reminded him of James Potter who had torn Lily out of his world – the only person he had ever really loved. But Voldemort… Severus never had hated anybody as much as he had hated the Dark Lord who had killed Lily and with her the chance for Severus to meet her again to reveal his true feelings to her. Even thinking of her tore his heart apart. Knowing Voldemort dead filled Severus with pleasure – and that's why he liked Harry Potter now.

In deep thoughts he wandered through the room. Then and again his hands touched all those so familiar things. Even the moldy smell of the dungeons had become familiar to him. He was glad to be alone. He didn't want to share the overwhelming feelings that tore him apart since he had almost been killed by Voldemort and then been saved in such a wondrous way. The only one he talked to about these feelings was Harry, because the young man could understand them better than anyone else.

After he had been pacing restlessly for a while he finally stood behind the desk he had been sitting at when he was a student – right behind James and Lily. He remembered the day the Sorting Hat had sorted him into Slytherin and he knew that this day had been the first day of his slow and painful road to hell. With his aching heart he still remembered that it had been his fault, his fault alone, that Lily had finally turned away from him. He would never forget the day when he called her a mudblood – it happened in a tantrum and he felt sorry for it from the moment on he had spoken the word. But this single word was the finish line, the point of no return. That day his hard was falling to pieces and nobody – except Lily – could ever have mended it.

Biting his lips Severus gained back control over his feelings. He breathed in deeply, cleared his throat and shook his head unwillingly. It would lead him to nowhere giving in to the past and his self-hatred. Nobody could ever bring back what he had gambled away. The only thing that was left of the love of his life was her son – and he realized how much he needed him. Deep inside he feared to lose him…

With shaking hands but clearer thoughts he began to pack away all his personal items. He didn't want to leave anything at Hogwarts that reminded of him.

Having done this he entered a small room in the darkest corner of the dungeons. Except him nobody knew about this room and he was the only one who knew all the protecting enchantments. After Dumbledore's death he had brought some of the headmaster's personal items to this room to keep them safe – none of the Death Eaters should ever find them. His eyes wandered through the room attentively. Everything still seemed to be in the place where it belonged. He locked the door thoroughly and left the dungeons.


	10. That isn't me!

That isn't me!

Shannon McAlister curiously watched her patient while he was reading the paper she had borrowed from one of the guards. It was the latest Daily Prophet. They wrote about the current events of the day, the Death Eater trials and things like that. Furthermore there was an excerpt from Rita Skeeter's new book to be found: "The Dark Lord's reign of terror". McAlister had browsed the book in a bookstore but finally refused to buy it. According to her taste it was much too polemical.

At least the prisoner wasn't lying on his bed anymore. He had sat down to read the paper while the expression on his face looked like everything he read was by all means new to him. To her his behavior was just disgusting. She didn't believe him that he didn't remember anything. On the other hand she was totally fascinated. He was almost like a child who tried to explore the world surrounding him.

"They always write about … Voldemort…" he finally murmured, lowered the paper and looked at the woman doubtfully who was sitting tensely on her chair.

"I have a feeling I have something to do with him", he went on, "Have I been an ally of this…" His voice broke and he shook his head with an expression she would have understood as reluctance and disgust, if she didn't know exactly who he was.

But was it really him? The question was very intrusive. He behaved in such a wrong way. Where had his megalomania gone, why didn't he bother her with his hate sermon?

But Goodson had undoubtedly explained that he prisoner really was nobody else than the Dark Lord.

McAlister didn't know how to answer him. There was so much she wanted to spit in his face. Could it really be possible that he didn't remember anything?

"They're writing about you", she finally admitted, "You're the monster they're talking about."

Voldemort dropped the paper and gazed at her in astonishment. For the first time she found an emotion in his eyes. He seemed to be shattered. Than he backed away until his back touched the cold wall. He raised his hands protectively while he was shaking his head heavily unable to say anything. Several times he tried to say something but then closed his mouth as if he had lost his courage.

McAlister was shocked about his behavior. What was going on with this man? She just couldn't believe what she saw. It was so surreal.

At last he grabbed the paper again, browsed it hastily while he was murmuring opaque words as if he was searching for something to tell the woman a liar. Suddenly he seemed to have found something. He raised his head and looked at her confidently.

"They say Voldemort is dead! But I am not dead! So him and me cannot be the same person!" he shouted triumphantly.

Did she really hear relief in his voice? It was incredible…

McAlister disliked the Ministry's decision to keep the Dark Lord's survival top secret. Nevertheless she understood the necessity. Telling the truth was by far too dangerous as long as there were still so many Death Eaters on the run.

And she didn't understand HIM. By no means! Even if he really couldn't remember anything, he still had to carry his convictions deep inside of him. They had told her that he had ripped his soul into seven pieces, that he had lost every single bit of humanity. This had finally been one of the reasons for his cruelty. He just could not have suppressed all of that!

"The Minister prefers to keep your survival secret", she explained reluctantly.

McAlister looked directly into his eyes and found nothing more than infinite confusion. She stared at him until he finally broke the eye contact and lowered his head.

"That isn't me!" he suddenly yelled and jumped to his feet, "That's a lie! That isn't me!"

He gave her a furious gaze and started to pace like a maniac while he tried to understand what this woman wanted to accuse.

"That isn't really me", he begged her after a while.

She saw some kind of desperation in his eyes. She was wondering about those eyes that seemed so different from the eyes she remembered.

He went back to his bad slouchy and sat down.

"I don't know what kind of game you play", she said icily, "But there's no doubt about you having done all those deeds."

Again he shook his head heavily, jumped to his feed, paced the room like a hunted animal, hit the wall with his fists, came back, fell onto the bed and finally hid his face behind his hands.

"That's not true!" he yelled at the woman after a few seconds.

To him she must have seemed perfectly calm and the way she gazed at him with her icy eyes might have told him that she obviously thought he was completely insane.

She waited patiently until he had calmed down a little. As agitated as he was she couldn't talk to him anyway. She was deeply confused about his behavior. That's why she finally decided to leave him alone with his thoughts for a while. He had to remember!

Breathing heavily he lay down on his bed after a while. She stood up slowly and looked at him pensively.

"I will go now. I have to talk to some people" she explained.

He looked at her again. She found so much disbelief in his eyes and he seemed to be scared of being alone, scared of the things he might remember.

His voice almost broke as he begged her: "Please come back to explain all of this. I don't understand…"

She just nodded, because she didn't know what to say. The whole situation was so surreal that she just couldn't find any words. She had to talk to somebody about this before she came back to him. He sensed it. She saw it in his eyes.

Slowly she turned around and left the cell.


	11. Visions

Visions

Harry, Ron and Hermione spent the day on the beach and enjoyed a few hours of sunshine. The whole day his scar had prickled, but he didn't tell his friends. He supposed it was some kind of phantom pain as a result of the fact, that it had tormented him for so many years and then had lost the connection to his enemy. This had to be the reason, there was no other explanation. Voldemort was dead…

He didn't really listen to Ron and Hermione talking about the next year at Hogwarts, where they all had to finish their missed seventh year. It was alright with him, because it was a chance for doing something useful. He still didn't know what to do after his graduation. Once he was eager to become an auror, but on the other hand he didn't consider this a good idea anymore. He was more than fed up with Defense against the Dark Arts.

Ron and Hermione both raised their heads very startled when Harry's hand suddenly flew to his forehead. A sudden pain made him gasp and narrow his eyes. He clenched his teeth and gasped again, breathed in deeply and calmed down slowly.

"Harry? What's going on?" Hermione asked worried and looked at him in surprise.

"The scar", he mumbled, "It burns like fire!"

Ron looked at him blankly and raised an eyebrow. "But it shouldn't hurt anymore, now that Voldy is dead, right?"

Hermione smirked a little about Rons words. Some people tend to decrease their pain with making fun of the thing they're scared of. Voldy… Slightly amused she shook her head.

"No, it should not", Harry growled, "But actually it does!"

He had no time to exhale because the pain came back like a wave rolling over him. He narrowed his eyes and backed away. Suddenly his inner eye saw a grey wall and the ice cold eyes of a woman he didn't know. He opened his eyes again and gasped in horror. His friends watched him more and more worried.

"Harry?" Hermione addressed him cautiously and put a hand on his shoulder. She felt deeply concerned about his behavior.

"Voldemort is not dead!" Harry yelled. Hearing his own suspicious words made him feel even worse.

Ron and Hermione stared at him in confusion and disbelief.

"But Harry!" Hermione told him pompously, "You've seen him fall! You've killed him. We all witnessed this. He's surely dead by all means!"

Harry tried to get rid of the horror. "If so… I wonder who gave me this vision I've experience right away…"

"Maybe a Death Eater?" Ron pondered, "I mean, they learned a lot of dark stuff from him…"

Harry shook his head heavily. "No! No Death Eater is able to do this! This is something only he can! And somehow it feels… it feels like him…"

"But Voldemort is dead! Dead and gone! That's for sure!" Ron said with confidence.

"You spoke about a vision" Hermione reminded him, "What have you seen?"

"An empty dark room… And a woman who looked directly into my eyes. There was so much cold in her eyes, but she was confused at the same time… And he… I've never experienced such a feeling in him. He seemed totally confused, somehow… desperate…" Harry resumed.

"But if it doesn't feel like him, how on earth will you know it's him? I mean, besides the fact he's really dead!" Ron remarked.

Suddenly Harry's eyes began to gleam. "I think it's a dungeon or something like that. It didn't look like Azkaban, but I'm sure he's kept imprisoned somewhere!"

Hermione knew that special expression in Harrys face. She shook her head reluctantly. "No, Harry, please! Don't go searching for… whoever!"

While she was saying these words she already knew that her friend wouldn't listen. She knew about how obsessed Harry sometimes could be. But after all those months of hunting for horcruxes she had grown tired. She was yearning for a time when everything was simple and peaceful, a time when she could just be a student, reading books and having fun. She didn't want to go hunting once more. Her only desire was to do all those boring things students do.

And there was one thing she didn't want to do by all means: Living on the road again for months hunting for something! She just didn't want to help Harry finding this… phantom!

But she also knew she would never let her best friend down.

"How do you want to find out where… whoever… is at the moment? There's surely more than one dungeon in the world." She dared him.

Harry shrugged and looked a bit puzzled.

"I think, first of all we should find out who this woman is…" he pondered.


	12. No secret

No secret

Hoping nobody would see him Severus Snape was sneaking through the old castle's corridors. He knew that there were only few who were informed that he was still alive. And he knew that meeting the wrong persons would have fatal consequences. But in all those moments you wish to be invisible you can be sure somebody comes your way.

"Severus?"

Minerva McGonagall's voice echoed through the empty corridors and made him freeze. Staring at his former colleague he wasn't able to move. He just stood there with a chalk-white face.

"Don't worry" the old Lady said while she was rushing up to him. It was a long corridor and it took some time until she reached him. He still just stood and stared.

"I was informed that you're still alive and I'm really glad to see you! I've already thought about sending an owl to Harry Potter, because I have a certain feeling he could have known where to find you."

She finally closed up to him and looked over him interestedly while she slowly recovered her breath. He glanced at her in surprise.

"Why…" Snape wanted to know, because he didn't have the slightest idea who could have told McGonagall about him.

McGonagall looked at the distracted man in front of her and smiled knowingly. "In Hogwarts secrets never stayed secret very long, didn't they? And I have very trustworthy sources."

Severus remembered that Harry had told him about his meeting with Dumbledore in the limb and that Dumbledore's phoenix had saved his life at the last of all moments. And he was sure the old man had his very own ways and means to make things happen. At last he had been one of the most powerful sorcerers of all times – the only one who could really catch up with Voldemort.

"Come", the new headmistress invited him, "I have to tell you something you might find very interesting. Let's talk about it and have a nice cup of tea."

Snape had difficulties to follow McGonagall to her office. The way she hurried down the corridors showed him in a very special way that the things she had to tell him were really important. He wondered what this was all about…


	13. Mysteries

Mysteries

Shannon still was shivering while she hurried up to the governor's office. Voldemort's behavior unsettled her deeply. She just had had eye contact for a few seconds and had taken the chance to look into his mind. But she hadn't been able to find anything but fear, loneliness and confusion. Either Voldemort knew some special occlumency she didn't know or there really was nothing to be found. No matter how hard she thought about it – she didn't know how to go on. So it was time to talk to the prison governor.

"He says he can't remember anything? And you believe him?" Goodson shouted upset, after McAlister had told him about the special prisoner's status.

He stood up from his frayed chair and took a close look to the auror.

"To me he doesn't seem to play games", she said calmly, "Many people witnessed that the deadly curse hit him full frontal. Being able to survive this is a miracle by all means. Who knows what the curse has done instead! The truth is that I can hardly believe he's really Voldemort."

"Don't you dare to speak his name!" Goodson interrupted her nervously. Like most of the people he just wasn't able to break the habit of fearing the Dark Lord's name.

"…he's really Voldemort", Shannon went on "That's why I took a short but painful look into his mind. He just can't identify with anything he reads in the paper and he's totally convinced not to be Voldemort. Whatever that Avada Kedavra has done to him, I don't understand it. It's unique in the whole history of magic."

Goodson leaned back, sighed and pushed his hand through his thin hair.

"Are you able to do legilimency?" he asked after he had finished contemplating. She still scared him while she was standing there wrapped up in her black robes. The look in her dark eyes made him shiver.

"I'm quite good at legilimancy, but in his mind there's so much chaos… We need a specialist who dares to look into the deepest depths of somebody's mind", she pondered, "But I don't know such a person."

The governor tore his thin hair and looked provocatively at the woman.

"Well, I think it's about time for improving your abilities, isn't it? I can't help you."

Shannon shrugged, nodded slightly, gave him a death-defying glance, turned around and left his office. Goodson gazed after her until the heavy door snapped shut. He sighed deeply. Something inside of him feared this woman. If he didn't hate the Dark Lord so much, he would have almost felt sorry for him. Well, almost…

Xxxxxxx

"So where do you want to start looking for that woman?" Hermione asked after Harry had described his vision very detailed.

Harry shrugged "To be honest I don't know… But the room I've seen must be a prison cell. I mean, you must be quite insane to live in a place like this! Not even him, right? Plus I had this feeling it was cold and damp…"

The young man shuddered while he thought about that scary place. He was sure he would get mental or suicidal after a few days living there.

"And the woman looked at me with so much cold in her eyes. I don't think she was there to have a cup of tea with you know who. I'm certain it's a prison cell."

Hermione contemplated for a while until she finally had an idea. "If the person who sent you this vision is really imprisoned… is it likely to be an official jail?"

"I don't know" Harry said, "It didn't look like Azkaban…"

"Azkaban isn't the only wizard prison", Ron remarked, "Dad told me that. Since the war is over he's working for the Department of Mysteries. Maybe he knows about this woman."

"Ron, that's a great idea!" Hermione said enthusiastically. "We should talk to your father as soon as possible!"

Harry looked across the sea very thoughtfully. Deep inside he was scared of what they perhaps would find out. He would have loved to finally let the past go, but this vision nearly shattered him and he couldn't let go anymore. The thought of his enemy still being alive scared him like hell.

Harry was absolutely sure that the deadly curse had hit Voldemort. He had witnessed the Elder Wand leaving the Dark Lord's hand and he had seen the his enemy fall down to the floor. Harry knew he would never forget that expression in Voldemort's face. He had allowed himself to feel perfectly happy for a while about the pain his enemy had to face in the moment of his death. But there had been something in Voldemort's eyes Harry still wasn't able to understand.

Voldemort couldn't have survived an Avada Kedavra! Not again!

"Where is your father at the moment?" Harry finally asked after he had pushed those irritating thoughts aside.

"I don't quite know" Ron answered. "The Ministry sent him somewhere, but I think he'll be back tomorrow or so…"

Harry nodded. "OK, it will be the best to wait until he's back. Maybe he knows something about Severus, too. I'm really worried about him!"

With his whole heart Harry had been hoping for a quiet life, for some days just living without sorrow or fear. But it seems he had no luck at all.


	14. Legilimency

Doubts

Shannon McAlister was in a bad mood when she left the governor's office. She started her way back to the special prisoner's cell. Deep in thought she went down the countless stairs to the dungeons far beneath the surface. They had found the worst place for Voldemort she could imagine. She was sure he deserved the hardest punishment, but this clink was far beyond dignity. Even the Dark Lord deserved something better. Somebody who did such a terrible thing to another wasn't any better than the one he punished.

Now she had to keep on working with him to find out why he wasn't able to remember. She wondered if this was some special kind of trauma, but she didn't quite believe it. It had to be something that lay much deeper inside of him which made him so extremely upset. On one hand he didn't remember anything but on the other – and that was the point! – he was absolutely convinced not to be Voldemort. She didn't believe he was playing a good trained role. Of course he always had been the master of manipulation, but nobody could be able to pretend such a desperate surge of emotion. She was sure there was no psychological problem. Could it be some strange kind of magic she didn't know? Was it some old and very dark magic the Elder Wand had released? Everything was possible!

McAlister decided to talk to the prisoner again. If this didn't bring her any further, she would need to find somebody who did know about the darkest arts…

When she entered the room Voldemort was cowering on his plank bed, a pitiful figure with his face hidden behind his hands. He was just a sad and desperate picture of misery.

He was as far away from himself as possible. There was nothing that remained of the raging, evil megalomaniac he once used to be. This was just a man who wasn't able to understand what was going on with him.

She sat down on her chair quietly and just looked at him full of doubt. After a while she brought herself to continue her work.

"How are you?" she asked cautiously.

He raised his head and looked at the woman for a while, his eyes full of painful sadness.

She could hardly stand the look from these eyes and was already about to turn her head when he finally began to speak.

"I've been reading the paper again and again. I'm racking my brain about all of this, but I really can't believe this was me. It is so far away from me and it … it scares me… I can't have been this raging maniac! It's just impossible…"

McAlister acknowledged to herself that she believed him. In her mind there still was the memory of what he had done to her family. But this sad man looking at her so pleating just couldn't be that mad murderer. She even believed him being scared.

"Listen", she said gently and looked into his eyes, "I don't know what has happened to you, but there's no doubt that you actually are Voldemort – many people can do witness to this."

The effect of her words was disastrous. His eyes widened and he shook his head heavily. It seemed as if he wished to make himself invisible or even vanish to non-existence. She knew that she had to help him.

"Would you mind telling me what you actually do remember?" she asked him still gently and looked at him as friendly as possible.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes and began to contemplate intensely.

"Pain", he said after a while, "I felt unbearable pain. All around me I heard voices. They were very excited and unbelieving about something that had happened and they couldn't explain. Then I lost consciousness because of the pain. When I finally woke up I found myself in this room. There's nothing else…"

His words confirmed her suspicion. The moment he was talking about could only be the end of the battle when Harry Potter had defeated him. This was the only thing that made sense. So the problem really seemed to be connected to the Elder Wand and the deadly curse. She had been reading the auror's reports about that special case. They had determined Voldemort was still alive when they had carried him out of the Great Hall. In the moment somebody had touched him he was said to have screamed in agony.

"Voldemort, I'd like to read your mind again. I'm still hoping to find a clue what had happened to you…" She asked him very gently but still urgently, but he just stared back at her in horror.

"You won't find anything you don't already know" he declined in whispers.

Never before she had felt so much fear in a man. Not even under the Crutiatus curse.

"But it is absolutely necessary to find out", she insisted politely but firmly, "Else I can't help you."

"No!" Voldemort shouted, "And stop calling me this name! Leave me alone!"

She felt his panic but ignored it. Whoever he claimed to be or not to be – she knew who he was. And she had to find out what had turned him into this man she saw in front of her right now.

"Look at me!" she insisted suddenly with a cold voice that made him wince and look at her automatically.

"Legilimens!" she said harshly and entered his mind, explored it and felt more and more confused. He just let her in without declining. She knew that Voldemort knew occlumancy. Either he had also forgotten about it or he just didn't want to use it.

After a while she left his mind, leaned back on her chair and looked very frustrated. He just wasn't like Voldemort at all. In his mind there were no evil thoughts, no memories of the past. And there was something else she couldn't get through to, because it made him scream in pain when she just touched it gently.

Voldemort broke the eye contact and lay back on his bed, turned to the wall and wrapped himself up in his robes he was still wearing.

McAlister was aware of the fact that he wouldn't tell her anything else today. So she stood up sighing and left the cell. She was quite glad that her attempts to read his mind had not totally been in vain, because now she knew the prisoner was hiding something deep inside of himself and he protected it unknowingly but with all his might. But to find out what it was she needed an expert, a real master of legilimency. Preferably it needed to be somebody who knew Voldemort but this was probably impossible.

She hurried up to Goodson's office and was glad to find him there. He looked at her over a big heap of files and papers.

"I suppose you've got some news for me?" He asked eagerly.

There was nothing he wished more than bringing this to an end. He didn't want to have this special prisoner here and if they had asked him, there had something to be done urgently. He just wanted this man to be executed as soon as possible.

McAlister nodded slightly and decided not to tell the governor anything of what she had learned from Voldemort. On one hand she stated Goodson being completely incompetent and on the other she just didn't like him. He was that kind of man who is doing a job just to distinguish himself.

"I need am eminent expert who knows about legilimency as well as about the dark arts. Nobody else will be able to reach Voldemort's core. And I need him now!" she insisted. Her words seemed to make Goodson shrink.

"Well, I think I can help you now, mam!" Goodson said proudly, "The Ministry is going to send us somebody who's perfectly prepared for this task."

A few minutes ago a memo from the Ministry had reached him. This had given him a chance to exhale finally. Maybe they would move any further at last.

She looked at him with her very special lethal glimpse and said in a mostly threatening way: "Don't. You. Ever. Dare. To. Call. Me. Mam!"

Then she sighed before she went on: "Tell them to send us this man immediately! And let me know as soon as he arrives!"

She growled scornfully, turned her back and left his office. Every time Goodson met this woman he feared her more. After he had recovered from her words he sent an urgent message to the Ministry.

It was about time to do something before this woman got violent!


	15. Rumors

Rumors

Minerva McGonagall had been pondering for a very long time about finally moving to the headmaster's office. But the encouraging smile from Dumbledore's portrait made the decision easier. So she had taken her personal stuff over there, but she still didn't feel comfortable in this old and noble room.

Severus and she didn't sit at the old desk for tea. They had decided to sit down at a small table by the window where they were able to have a very luxurious look over the black lake and the surrounding mountains. The sky was dark and they rain fell as if it wanted to drown the whole country. It seemed the Scottish weather didn't want to join the happiness everyone else felt since the war was over, just as if it knew about the secrets McGonagall knew about for a short while now.

While he was giving three or four spoons of sugar into his tea he watched McGonagall thoroughly. Never before he had seen her so nervous and insecure. She was struggling for words.

"Severus, you must know that something happened nobody would ever have thought of", she finally said, "Something absolutely unbelievable…"

With growing sorrow Snape watched McGonagall breathing in absentmindedly before she went on speaking: "I'm sure you won't believe it…"

The master of potions was famous for his patience, but McGonagall's behavior made some thoughts come to his mind he definitely didn't want to think.

"What happened?" he asked carefully, "Is it something about the war?"

The older woman nodded sadly: "Severus, it is by all means necessary for you to meet with the Minister of Magic. He has a very important ….mission for you. And you can be assured you won't like it."

Snape sensed nothing good, but McGonagall wasn't able – or didn't want – to tell him more. She just murmured that she felt sorry and that he had to be on his way as soon as possible.

"You are aware of the fact they will arrest me as soon as I've arrived there? I was an official Death Eater and one of Voldemort's closest allies!" Snape reminded her.

The headmistress showed a thin smile and sighed. "The Minister knows you're still alive. If you assist him in this special case, he promised not to put you to trial."

"Are you sure?" Snape asked with surprise.

He could hardly believe the words he heard. What on earth could be so important that it made the Minister decide to give him amnesty.

"I'm absolutely sure", McGonagall confirmed, "You should report to the Minister as soon as possible! It's by all means urgent. Don't worry! They've assured you won't be arrested."

Thinking about it Severus finally realized that this was his best chance to find back to a normal life again. But he was scared of what the Minister probably wanted from him. There surely was a reason for McGonagall's secretiveness.

Deep in thought he drank the rest of his tea and looked out of the window doubtfully. Because of the heavy rain there wasn't much to see. The weather seemed to catch up with his moods.

"So it might be the best to be on my way", he finally decided.

McGonagall compassionately looked at him. "Yes… yes, it might be the best."

She stood up and placed her cup back on the table.

She was aware of what was waiting at the Ministry. They had given her permission to tell Snape all that she knew, but she didn't know how to tell him about THAT without making him just turn around and run away.

They hadn't told her a name, but the one they were talking about surely was most important.

"Harry, Harry, Harry…"

With a deep frown Arthur Weasley was pacing up and down in the kitchen of Shell Cottage. He looked as if he didn't know how to say what he wanted to say. Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other quite startled. Arthur was known for his absent-mindedness but this time he looked almost torn apart.

"Please describe this woman to me", he asked Harry after a while who was glad not to be looked at as if he was slightly insane because of this vision.

"Well", he started, "I think she's quite tall, wears some black robes and so. Long, straight, black hair, pale skin and cold eyes…"

Mr Weasley smiled mildly about Harry's words. He instantly knew who the young man was talking about. Indeed he had been talking to her just a few hours ago because she was looking for something.

"I'm sure you've seen Shannon McAlister", he informed Harry, "She's one of the best aurors in the Ministry and she's only charged with the most difficult cases. But I don't know why you have seen her…"

Harry jumped up excitedly. "Really? What case is she working on at the moment? Is it possibly something about Voldemort?"

Arthur thoughtfully looked at Harry for a while and decided that he didn't want to be the one to tell Harry bad news.

"I only know she's working on a very… special Death Eater thing at the moment. I can't tell you anything else. And I'm also not allowed to tell you where you can find her. This whole thing is top secret", he tried to reassure Harry who was shivering because of his excitement.

Honestly Arthur didn't quite know what McAlister was working on. But the way the Minister and some aurors treated that special case showed him clearly that this person was on top of the list.

After he had told Harry all he knew, Arthur shrugged and left the kitchen. He hated to talk about his job in the evening. But he didn't see Harry's eyes sparkle. Burning for action the young man looked at his friends.

"I have to go to the Ministry immediately", he told them excitedly, "It's the only place where I can find out about this mysterious woman and her special case."

Hermione shook her head reluctantly. "No, Harry! You've heard Arthur. The case is top secret. I'm sure nobody is willing to tell you about it."

"A few weeks ago I've freed the world from the most powerful dark wizard of all times. I think I have a right to know what's going on!" Harry said angrily.

"Hey, Harry!" Ron spoke for the first time this evening, "You aren't really going to use your fame for getting information, are you?"

Harry sighed and sat down on the corner bench he had been sitting before.

"No, you know this isn't me at all. I'm really reluctant to do so", he replied, "But I must find out what this vision is all about, because I won't sleep anymore before I know. I have to know! And if nobody else wants to inform me I'll have to do it on my own. Don't you understand me?"

"Of course we do", Hermione reassured, "But I don't know if this is really good for you. We have no clue what it is they hide so intently. And there's a part of me who just doesn't want to know."

"I'm flying to London anyway", Harry stated, "Whatever it may be, I'll find it!"

Outside the rain was getting heavier and covered the landscape with gloom. It felt as if the sky tried to be as dangerous as Harry's intentions.

"Come back soon!" Ron required, "And keep us up to date!"

Harry nodded. "Sure!"

He smiled slightly, sat down on his firebolt and disappeared into the dark sky while Ron and Hermione went back to the house in deep concern.


	16. Engagement

Engagement

Kingsley Shacklebolt was nervous. He had to manage lots of things since they had constituted him as the Minister of Magic, but there was one thing that made him lose sleep every night. He saw himself confronted with one issue that was complex and anything but easy to handle. To deal with this special case upset him by all means.

On the other side of his desk another man had taken seat. A man who's survival was almost as unbelievable as the survival of… that other man he didn't want to think about.

"Severus Snape", the Minister murmured and cupped his chin in his hand while the other hand was scribbling something on a page of parchment. Snape looked at him suspiciously.

"Severus Snape", Shacklebolt started again, now with a clearer voice, "It's damn good luck to have you here!"

Snape just raised a brow. The Minister stood up and walked to the window from where he had a wide view over the Ministry's main hall. He turned his back to his guest.

"I want to submit you an offer", he spoke cautiously, "It's a very delicate issue. If you decide to accept this offer, I will forget that you were a Death Eater once."

"You've been a member of the order, Kingsley, you know that I didn't do that job voluntarily", Severus remarked. He sounded much calmer than he was.

"I know, Severus, I do", Shacklebolt admitted, "But I'm afraid to say that most of the Wizgamot's members would ignore his fact. These days they send dozens of Death Eaters to prison each day. If they go on so fast we will run out of prison cells sooner or later."

Shacklebolt turned back to Snape and looked at him with an expression that spelled trouble.

"Severus, we're all aware of the fact that You-Know-Who once gave some insight on his darkest secrets to you. I suppose you've learned more dark magic from him than you ever wanted. It's a strange paradox that we need this knowledge now", the Minister revealed.

Snape raised his eyebrows even higher and looked at Shacklebolt very suspiciously.

"Believe me when I say that the Dark Lord once showed me things you surely don't want to know", he said gloomy.

Shacklebolt pretended not to feel anxious and finally revealed the truth… well, a part of the truth at least.

"There is a certain prisoner who states not being able to remember all the atrocities he's done", he said, his voice just a whisper, so nobody outside the office could hear him, "Our best legilimentic finally came to the conclusion that only a wizard who knows the darkest arts is able to get through to him."

"Who is it?" Snape asked anxiously.

Shacklebolt sighed, frowned and cleared his throat nervously.

"Voldemort", he admitted in a whisper.

Snape jumped up from his chair in horror. For a few seconds he just stared at the Minister unbelieving, before he finally was able to calm down again.

"Voldemort is dead!" he said severely, "Hundreds of people witnessed his death!"

"No", Shacklebolt replied quietly, "No, I'm sorry to say that this bastard managed to survive another killing curse… Severus, I need you to find out what happened."

"This maniac wanted to kill me! He wanted to kill us all! I surely will never get close to him again! You have to find another one to do this!" Severus spit and was up to leave.

"You have two possibilities", Shacklebolt said calmly, "Either you help us to bring You-Know-Who's memory back or you go to Azkaban right away."

Snape remained at the door. In his mind he found a chaos of contradictory thoughts and he was hardly able to breathe. To make this decision wasn't easy at all. He had to balance his possibilities to do this choice.

Voldemort was still alive! Heaven knows how he had done it once again. Why for heaven's sake was nobody able to finally kill him? Snape knew that Harry and Dumbledore had spent many months to find and destroy all his horcruxes. What was it that kept him alive this time? Snape would frankly admit to be curious, but just the imagination of meeting the Dark Lord again made his blood run cold.

On the other hand he was sure that one of Azkaban's cells wouldn't be less terrifying, no matter if the prison was under construction right now or not. He kept pondering for several minutes until he finally made up his mind.

"What will I have to do?" he asked cautiously.

Shaklebolt exhaled gladly, because Snapes decision was a great relief.

"We need a legilimentic with extraordinary skills and I believe you're the only one who has them. You will have to look deep inside of Voldemort's mind", Shacklebold said gravely.

Snape breathed in deeply. He remembered every detail of his legilimency lessons with Voldemort. The Dark Lord had been a master of this issue. Nobody had ever been good enough in occlumency to fight him back. There was no secret Voldemort wasn't able to reveal. Snape had often witnessed the brutality and lack of mercy the Dark Lord used to enter somebody's mind. And now the Minister insisted on him, Snape, to do the same to Voldemort? Not only once he had felt the Dark Lord's insanity. He didn't fear meeting him again – no, he was scared like hell!

"Where is he at the moment?" he wanted to know without showing even the slightest of the raging emotions inside of him.

"We've arrested him in a jail deep in the Scottish Highlands", the Minister revealed, "It's not far from Hogwarts and almost as old as the old school castle by the way. They've driven many miles of tunnels into the mountains to set up prison cells for the worst criminals of all. When I think about it I must claim Azkaban a nice place compared to this jail…. Anyway! I want you to go there immediately. The complex is underneath the surface and has no ordinary entrance. That's why you can neither apparate nor use a broomstick… Please follow me!"

Snape and Shacklebolt left the office and followed the corridors down to the Department of Mysteries. It was one of the most peculiar places Snape knew. He knew that alone the great hall where they kept the prophecies was a frightening surreal place and it was said that there were much more mysteries down there which not even the Dark Lord had been able to reveal.

At the end of a long corridor they ended up at a small door. The Minister raised his wand and began to murmur some enchantments to open it. They entered a small dusty room which was completely empty except the ancient, badly scratched desk in the middle.

"Did you know that this is Salazar Slytherin's desk?" Shacklebolt asked.

Severus shook his head and looked at the Minister as if he had suddenly gone insane. He quite understood that this whole situation made his old friend nervous, but the meaning of this room and the ancient desk remained a riddle to him.

"It was a good idea to keep it", the Minister went on, "We found out accidently that it is a portkey to the jail we were talking about. It's the only one, the only way to enter and leave. The good old founder of Hogwarts kept much more secrets than we all will ever know…"

Shacklebolt gently pushed Snape further into the room and looked at him severly: "I've already announced you to Harlan Goodson, the prison governor. You will meet Shannon McAlister there who has already spent some time to find out what You-Know-Who is hiding from us. She will tell you everything you need to know. Good luck!"

This spoken the Minister turned around and left the room urgently. He seemed to be very relieved to finally have delegated the problem. Snape blankly watched him disappear.

For a long time he just looked at Slytherin's desk. To be honest it wasn't spectacular by any means. On the side there were some of the expected snake symbols to be found but after all it was just a simple desk.

On the outside the master of potions was all calm and collected, but inside of him there was a storm of thoughts and feelings. A part of him – a very powerful part indeed – wanted to turn around and run. If he got the move on, he would be out of the Ministry before they'd even noticed he was away. But another part of him knew that he had to do this, because he was the only one who had the necessary skills.

And he WANTED to know what had happened to Voldemort.

Maybe this time, the first time ever, he had a chance to be superior to the Dark Lord.


	17. Voldemort

After a little eternity of pondering Severus Snape finally layed his hands on the desk. The portkey carried him ruggedly into the prison governor's office, who was obviously waiting for him. Goodson looked slightly amused while he watched his visitor finding his balance. Next to Goodson (who looked intriguingly similar to Peter Pettigrew) stood Shannon McAlister wrapped up in a frightening aura of gloom. Snape had heard about the auror. She was the Ministry's secret weapon when things seemed really unsolvable. If even she foundered on Voldemort, the problem had to be more than challenging.

"I'm so happy to see you, dear Mr Snape!" Goodson welcomed him a little bit too friendly. Snape hated this kind of people, that's why he just looked at him dismissively and turned to McAlister.

"The Minister informed me about the issue", he said, "I don't want to do this, but I'm sorry to say that he gave me no choice."

The auror looked at him severely and pointed him to follow her. She also ignored the governor who breathlessly came running after them.

"Please wait a minute!" he yelled, because he hated people who ignored him so obviously.

McAlister stood still and looked disgustedly at the heavily breathing man: "You can do your stupid paperwork later. We have to do something more important now."

Her cold voice made Goodson shiver as usual. He froze and watched her walking away helplessly. He was utterly upset about this woman who defied his authority all the time. But he wasn't capable to do something – this made him even more upset.

McAlister turned to Snape again: "You've met Voldemort before, I suppose."

It was a statement, not a question. So he only nodded. He assumed she knew his context. Every auror knew it.

"I can assure you that you will not recognize him", she said thoughtfully, "He changed totally. If I didn't surely know he's Voldemort, I would have said they sent us somebody else."

"Minister Shacklebolt told me that Voldemort suffers from some kind of amnesia", Snape remarked.

"No, it's not that he has only lost his memory", she replied, "He's lost himself. Everything Voldemort has been is gone. He just doesn't believe me that he is the one he should be. He's even scared of reading the paper, because everything they write is too gruesome for him. And he suffers very much under the prison conditions. To be honest, he's not far from going insane."

"Has he not always been some kind of insane?" Snape asked sardonically.

"Not in this way!" she replied and seemed to be completely upset, "There are no more phantasies of violence, there's no more hatred. There's only fear. This is so disturbing! It's damn spooky to see him in this way!"

After they had rushed down the countless stairs they finally reached the special prison cell. McAlister told one of the guards to open the door, who began to unlock the protecting enchantments immediately.

Snape didn't quite know what he was expecting to happen if he met the Dark Lord again. But he was absolute sure he didn't expect this. Of course the man who was lying on a plank bed with his eyes closed looked like Voldemort. He would never forget his face. Snape shivered when he thought about his last acquaintance with the Dark Lord, there in the Shrieking Shack when he had ordered his snake to kill him. But now he looked so peaceful lying there sleeping.

McAlister made him wake up very ungentle: "Wake up! You've got a visitor!"

Voldemort seemed to be confused for a moment, then he opened his eyes and seated himself on the bed. Snape found enough courage to look directly into his eyes. The prisoner seemed to be surprised and stared back for several seconds. Something about these eyes had changed, but Snape couldn't say what it was.

"Do… Do I know you?" Voldemort asked indecisively. It was easily to be seen how much he racked his brain but obviously he didn't find the memory he was looking for.

"Indeed", Severus replied unemotionally, "You tried to kill me a few weeks ago."

"Really?" the Dark Lord asked and seemed to be desperately sad while he kept on contemplating intensely.

"They accuse me for many murders. They fill whole books with the things I am supposed to have done. It's strange that I don't know anything about all of that, isn't it?" he said tiredly after he had finally realized that his pondering was all in vain.

"I am here to find out if you really don't know anything or if you want to make us believe. And I am here to find out why you are in this …condition", Snape said without the slightest emotion.

But inside of him everything was ranting and raving. It took a lot of strength to prevent himself from killing Voldemort right away, now that he was so vulnerable.

Because he knew for sure what came next, the prisoner stared horrified at his visitor. He knew that the auror thought her legilimency skills were not good enough to finally penetrate his mind. This man seemed to be the next one to try.

"Why do you think you can find something she couldn't find?" Voldemort asked anxiously.

Snape put a mean little smile upon his face and looked at Voldemort dismissively.

"It's simple", he said maliciously, "I've learned all my legilimency skills from you!"

Snape sat down on a chair and stared at him without mercy. Voldemort looked away in horror and hid his eyes behind his hands. This interrupted the eye contact that is necessary for legilimency.

Snape grabbed Voldemort's hands and ripped them from his face violently, while McAlister inevitably forced the prisoner to re-establish their eye contact. Snape was surely aware of the panic in Voldemort's eyes but ignored it. He remembered in every detail all the cold and hatred he once had read in those eyes – feelings he couldn't find there anymore. He ignored it because he didn't want to see. As ruthless as possible Snape entered Voldemort's mind. The Dark Lord screamed anxiously but the wizards gave him no chance to fight them.

And down there in this prison cell there would surely be nobody who could help him…


	18. Meeting

Meeting

Finally the rain had stopped when Harry arrived in London. It was rush hour and everybody was in a hurry, so nobody was interested in the young man crossing London Bridge with a broomstick over his shoulder. He passed the Houses of Parliament and headed towards the city. Of course he could have flown directly to the Ministry's entrance, but since the war was over and the everyday fear had fallen from him he enjoyed being among other people. Because the Londoners were used to far stranger things than young men with broomsticks they didn't care for Harry entering one of the famous red phone booths. He fished some pence of muggle money out of his pocket and dropped them into the coin slot. A few seconds later the booth carried him into the Ministry's atrium which lay deep underneath the city, much deeper than the tubes of the underground system.

When he entered the atrium there were some memories coming back that he had repressed quite successfully. Somewhere inside these corridors he had lost Sirius. Every thought about his godfather hurt him. He didn't want to be here, but the reason why he came was important. Full of pain Harry thought about that night when the former Minister of Magic after a whole year of denying finally had to realize that Voldemort had come back. There was nobody in the world Voldemort had hurt more than Harry.

He must have been thoughtfully standing there for a while when suddenly somebody spoke to him. It was late in the evening, most of the Ministry's employees had already gone home and this grey-haired wizard seemed to be the last one to leave.

"Mr Potter! It's a pleasure to meet you! May I help you?" the man asked.

Harry didn't know the man but he had finally accepted that everybody knew Harry. He needed a few seconds to wipe his heavy thoughts away.

"Yes, maybe you can really help me", Harry said, "I need to talk to the Minister. It's very important!"

Harry returned the wizard's look irritated. Why were they always looking at him this way? His whole life Harry wanted to be just one out of many, a boy who enjoyed being with his friends and going to school. Another fact he was Voldemort hating for. He had made him famous – and he didn't want to be famous at all.

"I don't know if the Minister is still here at this time, but I can escort you to his office. Maybe you're lucky", the man said pondering.

Harry nodded and followed the wizard through the countless corridors of the Ministry, stepped into a lift that criss-crossed the whole complex for some minutes and finally reached another corridor. Some feet ahead he saw a huge desk and a woman with an orange chignon hairstyle sitting at it.

"What can I do for you?" the office assistant sneered.

"Uhm, I'd like to talk to the Minister", Harry replied politely and felt that kind of discomfort everybody feels when they're confronted with a chief secretary.

"Do you have an appointment?" the woman asked boredly.

"No, no… I don't have an appointment, but it is really important!" Harry urged, still polite but obviously impatient.

"He's busy!" she replied boastfully and turned away from the young man.

Harry had to prevent himself from hitting her. Who gave that person the right to treat people this way? He was on the edge of replying something unfriendly when the door of the lift flew open and gave him the chance to see a very well-known face. Shacklebolt recognized the young man and seemed to be extraordinarily happy to see him.

"Harry Potter! What brings you around here?" the Minister shouted in surprise.

He closed up to Harry and patted him friendly on the back. Then he turned to his assistant.

"Why didn't you escort our guest into my office?" he asked harshly.

"Because he has no appointment", the orange-haired woman replied reproachfully as if this was a crime. Shacklebolt shook his head irritated.

"Harry Potter has always an appointment. Stick this to your head!" he growled, pushed his guest into his office and slammed the door behind them.

"Please, Harry, take a seat and make yourself cofortable", the Minister prompted Harry, "I can guess by looking at you that you're contemplating about something you want to unravel."

Harry didn't feel comfortable about the way the Ministry treated him as something special. He never wanted him to snub his assistant because of him. But now he was here and it was about time to take the chance.

"Kingsley, I'm here because of very personal reasons. Something very disconcerting happened and I suppose you're able to help me", he said cautiously.

Obviously the Minister was interested. He paid attention to his guest immediately. With his whole heart he hoped Harry hadn't found out what nobody should find out.

"Tell me!" he encouraged Harry.

"Well", Harry said thoughtfully and scrubbed his nose, "I've recently had a vision I never should have had…"

Shacklebolt choked while a sudden panic grew inside of him. After some coughing he looked at Harry in a very emphatic way and pointed him to go on speaking. Harry felt more and more uncomfortable when he realized that the Minister wanted to hide something from him.

"Is there a chance that Voldemort is still alive?" he blurt out. He needed an answer and didn't want to beat around the bush.

Shacklebolt took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. This was the question he had feared most.

They had confined Voldemort in the darkest, most solitary and most faraway place in the world. They protected him with every spell and enchantment they could find. Even though he had found a way to send a vision! It was unbelievable!

Slowly the Minister stood up and stepped to the window where he watched the few people in the atrium for a while. He was bickering heavily because he was totally uncertain what he should tell Harry and what he better kept secret.

"Why do you think that vision came from You-Know-Who?" he asked interestedly. He wanted to know if Harry really knew something or was just speculating.

"Because it felt like him. I've had him in my head so often in the last years and this time it felt the same way. Besides my scar hurt like hell", Harry admitted.

Shacklebolt sighed but still didn't look at his guest. Just as if he was scared Harry could read his thoughts.

"What have you seen?" he asked cautiously.

Harry frowned and visualized the few pictures he had seen again. He described every detail to the Minister. The darkness, the cold, Shannon McAlister's face and…

"I don't think he did it consciously ", he finally explained, "There have been feelings that don't fit him at all. He was confused, somehow scared…"

Shacklebolt leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes. Slowly there was a thought growing in his head. If there was still a connection between Harry and Voldemort, the young man perhaps could really help to solve some problems. But how should he explain him that his most feared and presumed dead archenemy was still alive but didn't remember their years of fight and hatred?

After the Minister had struggled with his thoughts for a while he finally turned to the young man again. He realized that Harry had the right to know the truth.

"Harry I don't want to tantalize you with half-truths, because I'm sure that you – you of all people! – have the right to know what had happened", he admitted, "Something has really survived but as far as I can believe the auror who interrogates him – and I'm sure I can believe her – there is not much left of… the Dark Lord."

Harry stood up from his chair when he heard these unbelievable words. He didn't know what to feel first, but finally his curiosity was stronger than his anger.

"What do you mean when you say there's not much left of him?" he asked urgently.

"He doesn't remember anything", Shacklebolt told him. "The auror told me there's nothing dark and evil anymore. He's actually scared of her."

The Minister shook his head, sighed and sat down behind his desk again from where he watched Harry's reaction very thoroughly. He could hardly imagine how the young man felt after he had heard about what was really going on.

"Maybe I should visit him", Harry grumbled, "At least he has to recognize ME!"

Shacklebolt somehow liked the idea. If there was still something left of the Dark Lord inside of this body, than Harry was perhaps the key to it. He was the one that Voldemort had hated and hunted most passionately over all these years. And furthermore it had been Harry who had defeated and finally had brought him to his current condition.

"I'm going to talk to Ms McAlister", he finally decided, "She has to decide if it is advisable to confront him with you…"


	19. Dinner

Dinner

In the Weasley's house they had gathered around the big table for dinner. They've got used to the bad mood hanging everywhere, but since Hermione and Ron had told them about Harry's apprehension, everybody felt a deep concern.

"I'm really hoping that Harry's just chasing ghosts! I mean, it's about time that all that horror stops", Arthur murmured. For several minutes he had been stiring his soup without eating. He wasn't successful in repressing those gnawing feelings he had.

"Vol… You-Know-Who is really dead, isn't he?" Ginny asked quietly. Because of the heavy weighing fear she didn't dare to speak his name no more.

An exciting murmur followed her words until Hermione finally spoke vigorously.

"Of course he's dead!" she explained, "I don't know what's going on with Harry, but I really hope he's just obsessed about something again."

"Maybe he just can't cope with the fact that everything is over after all these years. I mean, his hunt for …You-Know-Who has always been the center of his life!" Ron tossed in and looked around hopefully.

"Whatever", Mrs Weasley said with a very grim expression on her face, "If Harry finds him, I hope he'll send him to hell immediately. This has to be over now!"

"No matter what Harry does – it won't bring back Fred", a silent voice said from one corner of the room where George was leaning at the wall with his eyes closed. He hadn't been speaking since the moment his twin brother had died.

The happiness which had made the brothers famous and much-loved everywhere seemed to have died with Fred. Nobody tried to talk about this loss, not even Molly. In the moment George mentioned it his mother burst to tears. Nobody spoke a word while Arthur embraced his wife and held her close. There were tears in his painful eyes, too.

After a while George went on speaking: "Whatever they do to this murderer – it will never bring back my brother. So please, please let go."

Then he turned around and left the room.


	20. Inquisition

Inquisition

Shannon McAlister held the prisoner with all her might. He tried to free himself with tooth and nail, but he was so starved out that he didn't have the slightest chance against the auror's grip. Severus Snape held his face close while he stared at him with his eyes narrowed.

The first thing Snape saw in these eyes surprised him. When he had seen the Dark Lord the last time his eyes were burning red as if the fires of hell were raging in his head. But this time he saw blue eyes! Eyes with no more insanity to be found in, eyes which looked at him full of fear. This man wasn't eaten up by hate in the way he had experienced the Dark Lord.

Snape took a deep breath. His lips formed the world "Legilimens" soundlessly as he dived deep into the prisoner's eyes to start his search. Against his expectation there were no barriers. Voldemort didn't even make the slightest attempt to use occlumency, he just let him in. But there was definitely nothing he could have hidden from Snape.

Like in a dream Snape slid through Voldemort's conscience, passed down a long corridor where he opened every of the many doors. But he only found empty rooms. Sometimes he saw vague shapes, but when he came closer they vanished.

At the end of the corridor he finally found a locked door. Whatever lay behind it – Voldemort's conscience protected it. Snape touched the handle cautiously and jumped back because of a sudden pain. He knew that McAlister had also been standing in front of the door without finding a way to open it.

The legilimentic concentrated each and every of his thoughts on this door and threw himself with all his might against it. He had to find a way, because he knew that inside this locked room he would find Voldemort's inner self.

McAlister lost her hold on the prisoner and jumped aside when the two men suddenly started to scream and let each other go. Snape held his head groaning while Voldemort jumped anxiously behind his plank bed, overturned it and tried to protect himself.

"Damn!" the master of potions snorted while he pushed back his black hair.

"What happened?" McAlister wanted to know and looked at Voldemort suspiciously.

"Every time I want to open that damn door it causes us unbearable pain! We can't go on like this!" Snape growled and kicked the chair angrily which fell over with a loud clanging.

With a predator's elegance he scurried around the bed trying to catch hold of Voldemort who tried to back away full of fear. But Snape was faster and clutched him. Inside the former Death Eater there was a raging anger ranting. This time he wouldn't let the prisoner overcome him.

With a wolfish growl he entered Voldemort's conscience again, rushed down the corridor with the countless doors without looking at them and used all of the energy he could find to try to break through that last gate.

McAlister needed every single grain of power to prevent the two men from losing their eye contact. They were screaming out their hurt painfully. She knew that Snape was closer to their goal than ever before.

Snape held Voldemort's mind trapped inside of his own. Piece by piece he opened the door, but in the moment he could have stepped into the room, the connection broke down. Voldemort had passed out and lost his conscience.

Snape hit the prisoner's face violently trying to wake him up. After the third hit McAlister clutched his hand.

"Stop it, Snape!" she yelled at him, "You're going to kill him!"

That was enough to calm Snape down a little. Breathing heavily he let himself fall to the floor and leaned against the soothing cold wall.

"It doesn't work this way", he determined after he had recovered his breath. He thankfully took the glass out of the auror's hand and swallowed the water with one single sip. "Whatever he is hiding inside this room, I'm sure he wouldn't even be able to tell us, if he wanted to."

Together they carried Voldemort back to his plank bed. His face was still full of pain.

"As soon as he wakes up you should try it again", the auror demanded, but Snape shook his head.

"If I tried it again this way, I would probably kill him", he warned, "His subconscious will give up itself to keep this secret. We have to find another way. "


	21. Late at Night

Because they had to leave Voldemort alone for a while McAlister and Snape decided to have their dinner together. Somewhere in the maze of corridors there was a dining room which was reserved for the aurors. At so late an hour nobody else was there, but the house elves still were ready to serve a meal.

"Would you mind telling me some background information? I wasn't there when Harry Potter defeated Voldemort. What went wrong?" Snape asked after a while of indecisively stiring his meal without being able to find out what the elves had actually served him.

McAlister took a sip from her glass and recapped in her mind all the information she had at this time.

"There's a large heap of witnesses who firmly state Voldemort was hit frontally by his own killing curse", she started to explain, "As far as I know this happened because the Elder Wand didn't really answer him. I don't quite know the backgrounds. I think this is a question you better ask Mr Potter. While everybody joined the victory party in the Great Hall some aurors carried away Voldemorts body and found out that he was still alive. His life was hanging on a threat but he was still breathing. First they considered bringing him to St. Mungo's but then they decided to bring him here because of his dangerousness. It was Shacklebolt's idea to bring him here. He was the first prisoner in this jail. After that they had noticed this was the perfect place to imprison the worst of the worst."

McAlister exhaled and took another sip of water before she thoughtfully went on speaking: "So Voldemort was here, but nobody even dared to touch him. There was a healer who doctored him up, but he only did what was necessary to make him stay alive. After that nobody cared for him for weeks, because nobody wanted to make a decision what to do with him at last. Again it was the minister who ordered to interrogate Voldemort. At first he wasn't approachable at all. None of the aurors was able to educe something from him."

"And then they turned to you?" Snape tossed in.

"Yes, indeed", McAlister replied, "I've made even the most stubborn Death Eaters talk in the past… Initially they left me in the dark about who this Death Eater actually was, but after my persistent asking they finally told me the truth. This was no easy decision as you may guess."

Snape understood her very well. Finally he had had the same thoughts to fight.

"Why did you acknowledge anyway?" he asked curiously.

"Because I was curious about him", McAlister admitted which made Snape smile, because his feelings were exactly the same.

"He was totally spaced out when I found him", she went on, "He was just staring at the ceiling all the time and wasn't approachable at all. So I rounded up the healers who are working here to find out what they had actually done to him since he had been brought here. They were beating around the bush for a while until I lost all my patience…"

Snape could clearly imagine how this woman could be when she really lost her patience. Her death-defying look alone could scare a less strong person to hell.

He listened interestedly as she went on: "They just left him lying there and tranquilized him so he couldn't get up to something. Nobody wanted to care for him. Knowing this I finally told them that from now on he should only get some painkillers, nothing else. At last I had to force one of the healers to examine Voldemort completely because I wanted to know what's going on with him. The healer said he was weak but in good physical constitution. Then I had to wait a few days until he was clear enough to talk."

Indignant as she was the auror banged her fist so heavily on the table that one of the glasses would have fallen down, if Snape hadn't reacted fast enough to catch it.

"Just imagine that!" she raged on, "Those idiots always told the Minister that the prisoner declined to answer any questions. But in fact he was so strung-out that he just wasn't able to say anything!"

"So it was good luck for Voldemort that you decided to take care of him", Snape said drily.

"Well, yes, I think so", she admitted, "In my opinion everybody should be treated with dignity, no matter what he has done. It makes the prisoner feel better and much more cooperative."

"So you were the first of all he was talking to?" Snape wanted to know.

McAlister nodded. "Yes, indeed. And I've already found him in his state of total confusion. And if you asked me I would say there can be nothing more done for him unless we have a damn good idea!"

Still upset after her long speech she finally ate the rest of her cold meal. She grimaced and pushed the empty plate away.

"That wasn't already good when it still was warm, but now it's a disaster! Uh!" she growled disgustedly.

Severus leaned back and smiled. He already had had this feeling the house elves who were working in this prison weren't motivated at all.

"I've got an idea", he let the auror know while he put the used dishes onto a table in the corner and brought a bottle of wine and two glasses. McAlister was interested immediately.

"What is it?" she wanted to know.

"We've always tried to penetrate Voldemort's mind alone", he explained, "What do you think about trying it together? Maybe together we're strong enough."

"Didn't you say it will kill him if we try again?" the auror replied cautiously.

"If we try to be less violent than I was today, we'll have a real chance to succeed without killing him" Snape reassured.

McAlister stroke her finger over the edge of her glass which made an awful sound. She looked at Snape thoughtfully.

"Are you even able to do so?" she asked doubtfully. "A few hours ago I had a feeling that you actually wanted to kill him."

"I hate him!" Snape stated, "But when he dies we'll never know what has happened. And I think this is going to be more and more interesting."

"Did he personally harm you? What made you hate him so?" the auror asked. At once her voice was calm and soothing while she studied him severely.

Snape nodded and bit his lip. He had to take a deep breath before he was able to talk about this delicate topic.

"He once killed somebody who was very important to me", he spoke quietly, "Later I had been a Death Eater against my will, because I had to deliver on a promise I had given to Albus Dumbledore. He made me infiltrate Voldemort's ranks as a spy. I had to do gruesome things and I always feared the Dark Lord could find out about my true intentions. At last he had almost succeeded in killing me. My life was hell on earth, that's why I felt really relieved when Harry Potter was finally able to defeat Voldemort – just to hear a few weeks later that he's still alive…"

"What gave Dumbledore the right to do all of this to you?" McAlister asked unbelieving, but accepted that Snape didn't want to talk about it at the moment.

"And what about you?" Snape wanted to know, "What has he done to you?"

The auror closed her eyes tiredly and took a sip of wine before she answered: "My little sister and I are the only ones who are left of a big family. Voldemort killed them all because my father declined to be a Death Eater. As it seems Voldemort had had a real bad day and was entirely frustrated about something. He created a bloodbath in our house you just can't imagine. I was out the whole day and came back when he had already been gone. In my whole life I will never forget that day…"

"I'm sorry", Snape apologized gently, "I shouldn't have asked…"

She shook her head vigorously and tried to smile. "It happened long ago and we can't do anything to undo it. The best thing about the past is that it's over. But to be honest I'd love to kick Voldemort's ass, too. On the other hand I feel like you – I'm curious. Your suggestion is brilliant. Let's put our team together tomorrow!"

Both got up at the same time to leave the room. In the moment they said goodbye for the night their eyes met. They recognized each other as kindred spirits.


	22. Enemies in Paradise

Enemies in Paradise

It must have been an eternity since he had felt the sun on his skin the last time. Its warmth flowed through him and gave him a peace he had never known before. He didn't dare to open his eyes, because he feared to destroy that precious moment. Where he was lying he felt warm grass beneath his hands. The never ending silence surrounded him and kept him safe. He wanted to stay here. Forever. Nobody could harm him at this place. He was alone and at peace with himself. He couldn't remember if he had ever felt so completely free. Wherever he was – this place was perfect. Nobody was able to find him here.

He sat up carefully and opened his eyes, looked over the low hills and felt the infinity that was all his at this special moment. He got up slowly and started to walk straight ahead to the horizon.

He didn't know how he had come to this place but it just didn't matter, because he didn't want to leave anyway. Wherever he had come from surely couldn't have been as perfect as this. He had no past and he didn't miss it. He was glad about this piece of presence that held him secure.

Only a few moments later the peace cracked up and the surrounding shattered. Something pulled him into a never-ending abyss from where he could hear voices that were up to no good. He desperately tried to get a hold of something but there was nothing he could grip.

He was suddenly overcome by a deep desperation that tried to rip the life he had felt moments ago right out of him.

He yelled…

"How the hell does he always succeed to get out when we're SO CLOSE?" a raging voice shouted. It belonged to a man who wasn't able to control his anger by all means.

Under burning pain Voldemort opened his eyes wide and looked into the hateful face of a black dressed man. Behind him stood a woman who looked even gloomier. He knew them both. They had already come to him several times and those meetings had all been horrible. If he just knew what they wanted from him!

The woman was not so bad, because she stopped asking questions when his pain got too much. But the man she was bringing with her for a few days now scared him to hell. That man seemed to be here with just one single goal – being as violent to him as possible. If he could only remember what he had done to these people.

He wanted to be left alone and go back to that perfect place where there was neither fear nor pain. But they didn't let him. They always ripped him away from there, and every time they did his fear of never finding back grew a little stronger.

"Stop bothering me!" he spit at the black haired man whose expression grew even more furious. "I've done nothing to you!" he added desperately and tried to escape from his tormentor.

But the black dressed man was relentless: "You've done much more to me than one man can ever bear! And I will make you remembering all of it, even if it's the last thing I do in my life!"

Voldemort fled to the opposite corner of the prison cell, even though he knew he would never get away from this ruthless man who came running after him and threw himself right onto him, so he couldn't move anymore.

"You can't escape from me, Voldemort! I advise you to better be more cooperative, because I will torture you until I finally have you there where I want you to be. That's a promise!" his tormentor growled.

"I don't know what to tell you!" Voldemort screamed out of his agony, "I don't know! I swear that I don't know!"

"You do know! And I will find it!" the black dressed man assured - his voice was just a growl right next to his ear. Voldemort's fear was overwhelming.

"Stop!" the woman shouted. Her voice was sharp and tolerated no dissent, but Voldemort still had no chance to get away from his tormentor's clutch – it got even more violent.

"I said STOP!"

This time her voice was louder and seemed to be heard at last. In the moment he was freed from the clutch Voldemort fled behind his plank bed again where he cowered on the floor shivering. He would have given thanks to the woman but he didn't dare to say a word.

Severus Snape got up breathing heavily and darted a scornful glance at the anxiously shivering man in the corner. McAlister stood at the door with her arms crossed and looked at the potions master disapprovingly.

"We've agreed on approaching him together this time, Snape," she said and her icy voice almost made him freeze. "It is not acceptable that you push me out of his mind just because you lose patience and want to go on alone! Furthermore it is not acceptable that you continue to commit so much violence to the prisoner! Either we'll do it the way we concerted or you will be fired! Mistreatment is no interrogation method I condone!"

Snape slumped down on the chair and looked diabolically at Voldemort, but he used no more legilimency. He better didn't risk anything as long as the auror was so angry. But his vicious look seemed to be so grueling for the prisoner that he turned his back and leaned his head against the wall. Snape turned back to the auror.

"I admit to… have overreacted a little bit. But we've been so close! So close!" he explained himself while he was gesturing emphatically. "I'm sorry!" he added a bit calmer. This made McAlister smile.

"Let's leave him alone for a while, so he can recover", she said peaceable, "We'll try again later – but we'll do it my way. Get this straight!"


	23. Vital Sign

Vital Sign

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville had a late breakfast. Everybody else had left the house early in the morning but the Hogwarts students still were on holiday and they tried to live these days as normal as possible. An example of this normality was going to bed late and getting up at noon.

They were just talking about the changes that were waiting for them in Hogwarts when Luna suddenly jumped up to open the window. Before anyone could wonder about this strange behavior a ruffled owl came flying into the room and landed trundling on the middle of the table where its feathers spread over the breakfast.

"Sometimes I have this strange feeling my family magically attracts the most stupid owls in the world!" Ron grumbled and fished the letter the owl had lost out of the breadbasket.

"Who does it come from?" Ginny asked hopefully. She constantly was waiting for a vital sign from Harry, because she was missing him so much.

Hermione took the letter from Ron's hand, read the sender's address and determined admiringly: "Harry sent it! From London! On the minister's official stationery!"

"Let us know! What does he write?" Ron shouted excitedly.

Now they all were curious, because they hadn't heard anything from Harry since he had set out to London on his strange mission. Hermione read the few lines aloud.

Hey, there!

I apologize for writing so late, but there was so much to talk about that I just found no time. I just want to tell you that everything is alright. The minister told me some very interesting things, but I can't talk about them in a letter. They still have a lot of secretiveness going on here… As soon as I have further information I will let you know!

Bye for now!

Harry

"This letter doesn't really bring us any further, right?" Ron mumbled with his mouth full.

"The main point is that he let us know he's alright and on the right track. As I know him he'll come here to tell us everything sooner or later…" Luna said dreamy.

They knew Harry very well.


	24. Emotions

Emotions

Voldemort was glad to be alone again. Since the day the auror had brought that horrifying man with her the first time he couldn't sleep anymore. The persisting fear from him didn't let him come to rest. He knew that face and the deep serious voice. He knew he had met this man before. But every time he tried to remember he only saw shadows which were wiped away from an unknown force as soon as he came closer. Why did those people not understand that he wasn't able to remember anything?

The woman had told him many things and he had read the newspapers unbelievingly. She had told him again and again that he had been the tyrannical Dark Lord who had sown hatred and perdition everywhere and finally had almost engulfed the whole world in the abyss. But how should he be able to believe when he felt neither hatred nor hunger for power inside of himself?

With bended knees Voldemort cowered on his plank bed which was the only piece of furniture in his small prison cell besides a chair and a low table. He didn't know how he had come here. His whole life seemed to have happened here, but sometimes when he was sleeping he knew that there once had been another life where he wasn't imprisoned, where he had seen the sun and felt the wind on his skin, a life which had left nothing inside of him besides a few vague impressions.

It was dark and cold in here and there was much too less water and food. He was alone and had nothing else to do than waiting for his fate. The only variety was the visit of the auror and the horrifying man once or twice a day.

If he hadn't been sure to have lost his sanity anyway, he surely had lost it inside of this clink.

Voldemort lay down, sighed and wrapped his freezing body up in his robes. They had told him that he had worn them in his former days, so they seemed to hope they would help him to find his lost memories. But to him they weren't more than an insufficient protection against the cold.

A single tear was rolling over Voldemort's cheek when he closed his eyes and finally fell into a weary sleep.

When he opened his eyes he was lying in the familiar meadow again. His fingers carefully stroke through the long blades of grass. With all his might he wished to stay here forever, but he knew that sooner or later they would come to take him away again. This time he was willing to not let this happen again. This was his world!

Slowly he got up, looked around and started to run into the opposite direction than the last time. He wanted to get as far away as possible. He didn't want to be afraid anymore…

He stood riveted to the spot when he heard their voices again. They sounded vicious and urging - they were searching for him! He looked around frantically but he knew that in this flat landscape there was no place to hide.

And then he saw them…

The woman with crossed arms and her usual sardonic face, the man with a dangerous twinkle in his eyes. As they came closer Voldemort turned around and ran for his life, just to find them reappearing right in front of him after a short while. Wherever he went, they always stayed near to him.

"Go!" he yelled at them, "You have no right to be here!"

"Of course we do…" the man growled, approached him slowly and clutched at him, but he was able to back away and start to run again.

He succeeded in always being as far away as possible, so the black haired man had no chance to touch him.

He felt panic fear. Now they had finally found a way to follow him in here where he had felt safe. They had destroyed the secureness of this place. There was nothing left to hide.

"I can't give you what you want, because I don't have it!" Voldemort cried desperately, "I swear that I tell the truth!"

"What's the worth of a thousandfold murderer's truth, Voldemort?" his tormentor spit into his face hatefully.

"Calm down, Snape, let him breathe!" the woman held Snape back gently.

"Tell me who you are!" Voldemort demanded anxiously.

The woman approached him slowly, because she didn't want to intensify his fear. He backed away anyway.

"I am Shannon McAlister and he is Severus Snape", she told him with her soothing voice. He actually calmed down a little.

When he heard the name of Snape he was attentive for a second. Now he was sure to know that man, but he still didn't know why. Something had happened between them, something terrible. But as much as he tried he couldn't get hold of it.

"Do you remember?" Snape asked viciously with a dangerous voice.

Voldemort wasn't sure how to react. His answer could probably be his death warrant.

"I vaguely remember the name", he whispered after a few seconds. "The name only, nothing else."

Snape grabbed him and pulled him close to his body. Voldemort felt the warmth of his body and his breath. A part of him wondered how this could be in his fantasy world, but when he raised his head and looked over Snape's shoulder he saw the grey wall of his prison cell. They had succeeded again. They had torn him away from his world again.

At the same moment Voldemort noticed the severity of the danger he actually was in. Snape's forehead almost touched his while he was deeply looking into his eyes. Voldemort was sure that he had never before seen eyes that were so vicious and black. With a raging scream Snape pulled him up and threw him violently against the wall. Voldemort got up quickly and tried to flee from his tormenter – but as usual he had not the slightest chance.

"You will give me a satisfying answer immediately or I will kill you right away, you goddamn bastard!" Snape yelled and threw himself onto Voldemort who kept his head down full of fear to hide his face behind his hands.

Again it was McAlister who had to deescalate the situation and she hated it. But this time she had nothing to say. It was quite enough to grab Snape's shoulder. This made him calm down immediately, so he let Voldemort go.

"Come!" she shouted at him.

He better not overlooked the sparkles in her eyes. Snape was angry about himself, because he had let himself go so easily again. But Voldemort's lack of insight infuriated him again and again. He darted a murderous glance at the prisoner and left the prison cell behind the auror.

Voldemort who had just escaped being killed crept to the corner which was furthest away from the door. His whole body was shaking. After the footsteps outside had faded the scary silence came back while the former Dark Lord started to weep bitterly.


	25. Another Candidate

Another Candidate

Harlan Goodson was anything but enthusiastic when the minister brought along another visitor. He was always busy with the frantic coming and going the whole day through, so he didn't want to be disturbed all the time because of the minister's visits. He had to look after the aurors who brought new prisoners several times each day and he had a huge heap of work on his desk. He just had no time for the minister! But Shacklebolt had left no doubt about the importance of his latest visit. His assistant had sent a memo to Goodson which told him that the minister was going to bring along somebody who could perhaps help to solve that delicate problem of … well, you know who…

As far as the prison governor knew about the issue he had more and more a feeling that they were more than desperate. First they had sent him the most scary auror they had been able to find, then they had sent him that Death Eater he wasn't allowed to arrest because he actually wasn't a Death Eater and now… Whatever the minister's latest flash of genius was he really didn't want to know.

He opened the door to his office reluctantly and stepped in. In the moment he saw the man who had come here with the minister he began to grin from ear to ear.

"Harry Potter! What an honor!" he shouted exhilarated.

He shook the young wizard's hand joyfully, but was disturbed by the minister clearing his throat. Harry pulled back his hand thankfully and buried it in his pocket. Why the hell did that guy look like Peter Pettegrew?

"Mr Goodson, I'm glad that you don't treat one of my visitors with suspicion for once", the minister began without even greeting the governor, "But I'm afraid Mr Potter has no time to talk to you. Where are Snape and McAlister?"

"Pity!" Goodson sighed. He actually had hoped for a nice conversation with the young hero. Because there seemed to be no chance for it he turned back to his duties.

"As far as I know both of your interrogation experts are having their lunch at the moment!" he said.

He had heard them discussing very loudly when they had left Voldemort's cell about an hour ago. It must have been some fundamental disagreement that had to be resolved as soon as possible. McAlister had kicked out everybody who was in the auror's dining room at that moment and had slammed the door behind her and Snape. The auror had really been furious and he definitely didn't want to be the one to disturb her.

"I have to talk to them immediately!" Shacklebolt said and tolerated no backtalk. Goodson called one of the guards.

"Tell Snape and McAlister to come to my office!" he ordered, "They are in the dining room at the moment. Tell them the minister's here and wants to talk to them urgently."

The man nodded dutifully and went away. A few moments later he came back with the desired persons without being harmed.

"Harry!" Snape said surprised and forgot the argument with McAlister right away, "What are you doing here?"

With a shy grin on his lips Harry first looked at Snape and then at McAlister who he had seen in his vision.

"Well, we've been thinking about me visiting Voldemort", he revealed, "Maybe he remembers me. I mean, I was his most preferred target over all the years… There is a chance."

McAlister was immediately interested and decided to postpone her differences with Snape for now. The minister had hatched a perfidious plan! But she was concerned anyway.

"Mr Potter, are you really sure you want to meet him again after all that had happened?" she asked severely.

"Yeah, I think so", Harry said calmly.

"You won't recognize him, Harry!" Snape pointed out, "He's not … himself at the moment."

Harry nodded. "I know. I had a vision from him. He seemed to be rather confused…"

"A vision?" McAlister asked shocked, "He really sent you a vision?"

Harry shrugged. "Well, I don't think he was aware of it. It was just some kind of a flicker, just one picture. I have seen you in a prison cell or something like that."

Snape and McAlister looked at each other in a very meaningful way.

"Maybe there is still a connection between you and him", the former teacher pondered, "Possible he destroyed the horcrux in you but left something else."

"That is what I was thinking about!" Harry agreed.

He had been thinking about this possibility since the vision had showed him why his scar still was prickling. They still were connected in any way and he hoped to be able to use this connection.

"So it's about time to pay another visit to our Dark Lord", the auror stated with an evil grin and turned away. Snape and Harry followed her while Shacklebolt and Goodson remained in the office. They both were hoping for a breakthrough.

"Before we enter the cell again I want to get one thing straight", the auror said after they had left the countless steps behind them, "Nobody – and this means especially you, Snape! – will do anything he hasn't coordinated with me. If one of you doesn't keep that in mind he should think about the pains the cruciatus curse causes."

Harry was a little confused as he looked from Snape to the auror and back. In their faces he noticed a notion of the differences they had because of this issue before. He somehow sympathized with Snape not being able to control his anger. And he was hoping desperately to be wise enough not to do something rash.


	26. King's Cross again

Harry had been contemplating intensely about this encounter with Voldemort. Many things had gone through his head and made him shiver. He was expecting everything but surely not something like that.

When he entered the cell with Snape and McAlister the first thing he noticed was the darkness which was barely illuminated by a small ball of light. It was not able to show the whole room, but it was bright enough to prevent them from stumbling. Besides it was terribly cold and damp in this clink. A fact that surely could wear somebody out. Harry needed a few seconds until his eyes got used to the darkness, then he looked around and was scared witless.

In the opposite corner there was a shivering figure cowering on the floor who seemed to try to vanish into the wall in the moment he saw his visitors. Harry didn't recognize the man at first because he didn't believe what he saw. Then he was struck by the truth.

It was Voldemort. Harry felt it more than he saw it. But the expression on his face was as far away as possible from what he had expected. The young man noticed that the man's whole body was shivering and he was almost able to feel his fear. As much as he wanted to hate Voldemort at that moment – he couldn't. Instead the distracted man in the corner aroused his compassion.

"What have you done to him?" he asked the others slightly reproachful. He couldn't stand people being mistreated, no matter who they were.

"We tried to make him remember, but we can't find anything and he doesn't want to tell", McAlister explained gloomy.

Harry looked at Snape and then at Voldemort. It couldn't be overlooked that it was the master of potions whom the man in the corner feared the most. When he noticed this Harry forced himself to a decision.

"I want to talk to him – alone", he said severely. It was a demand, not a question.

"But…" Snape tried to oppose but was interrupted by Harry.

"Just look at him! You scare him like hell! Nobody is able to concentrate on anything when he's scared to death!" he clarified.

McAlister nodded slightly as she realized that the young man perhaps was right. Besides she had already been sure about the fact that her and Snape's methods would never be expedient.

"Well", she decided, "We will leave. If you're getting into difficulties just send a sign with your wand. The guards will help you immediately and we will be here as soon as possible."

Snape looked at the auror reluctantly. He didn't want to leave Harry alone with Voldemort. Who could ever know if he suddenly remembered sitting next to his arch enemy! Of course Voldemort didn't have a wand but he was commonly known as being able to do magic without one.

McAlister pushed Snape cautiously to the door and looked at him severely.

"I think it's about time to change our methods. Let's give Harry a chance", she demanded.

After his companions had gone Harry sat down on the floor to be at eye level with the prisoner. He would have been superior to him if he had sat down on a chair, but that was the last thing he wanted to be. Being at eye level was the only way to make Voldemort trust him. So he sat down on the floor cross-legged and just looked at Voldemort. Harry could hardly believe that this was the same man who was attempting on his life for so many years. But he could imagine very well what Severus had done to break him.

Harry waited until the man in the corner finally relaxed a little.

"Hallo, Tom", he said very quietly because he didn't want to scare him again.

Voldemort replied his words with an undefinable look but didn't say a word.

After a while the prisoner finally let a bit of his fear go. He began to size Harry up, again and again, as if he was urgently trying to find out who he was.

"We know each other, Tom. I'm Harry", he introduced himself. His voice was still quiet and soothing.

"Harry…" Voldemort whispered silently and kept staring at him.

"Harry Potter", Harry completed his name, but that didn't help Voldemort along, too.

"They have sent you to go on torturing me, haven't they?" the prisoner finally asked in a very defeated way.

Harry shook his head. "No, I'm just here to talk to you, Tom."

Voldemort didn't believe him. Still he was sitting in the corner and looked totally distracted. He didn't understand why they had sent him somebody new. Of course he was glad to finally have escaped Snape but he was afraid of the plans they were carrying out now.

And he knew the face of this Harry, he knew it in the same way he knew Snape's face. Names, shades, nothing more.

"Why do you address me with a different name?" Voldemort asked cautiously after an eternity of silently staring at the wall.

"This is your true name. You chose the other name when you started to seek power", Harry explained patiently.

"I don't seek power. Actually I just want to be left alone", Voldemort admitted quietly.

All the time he was skimming over the floor nervously and seemed to be controlled by his flight instinct only.

Was that man really Voldemort? Harry felt the same like Snape and McAlister, he could hardly believe what he heard. But something deep inside of him was absolutely sure that the man wasn't lying.

"You really don't remember anything, do you?" Harry asked carefully.

It was more a statement than a question because Harry already knew the answer. The man sitting in front of him was Voldemort, Tom Riddle, whoever, but not the Dark Lord he had defeated in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

Voldemort sadly shook his head. "I've told those people again and again, but they don't believe me. They allege that I'm lying. But I don't lie. I have nothing to hide because I can't remember anything. I woke up in this room some weeks ago. I can't remember anything that had happened before."

The prisoner looked at Harry as pleading as if his whole life was depending on the fact that he believed him.

"They've tried legilimency, right?" Harry asked.

Voldemort nodded slightly.

The young man could imagine very well that Snape hadn't been considerable in his attempts to interrogate Voldemort. You better don't mess with Snape if you want to see the morning sun!

Like all the others Harry didn't have the slightest idea of what had happened to Voldemort. He could remember every detail of the fight against him. First they were surrounding each other while Harry had told him about all his errors and failures. In his enemy's eyes he had seen his growing disappointment and frustration. Finally the Dark Lord had fired the killing curse at Harry not because he hated him but because he hated himself for all what had gone wrong beginning with the fact to have underestimated Snape over all those years. Voldemort's Avada Kedavra and Harry's Expelliarmus had met each other right between their wands. The Elder Wand had recognized Harry as its true master whom it never would kill. The most powerful wand in the world abandoned Voldemort and rebounded the killing curse on him. Harry remembered how the curse had struck his enemy down, how he had fallen over without saying any last word, without screaming but with unbelieving surprise in his eyes. He was totally sure that he had seen the Dark Lord die. But Harry still wasn't able to understand that last look from Voldemort before he had closed his eyes forever.

After a while Harry couldn't stand the darkness anymore. So he raised his wand and illuminated the room by vigorously shouting "Lumos Maxima!"

Voldemort had lived in the twilight of his cell for so long that the sudden brightness hurt his eyes. He buried his head in his hands and needed some time to get used to the unfamiliar brightness. Then he looked at Harry thankfully.

Harry was startled when he looked into Voldemort's eyes. He remembered his enemy having red and hateful snake-eyes, he had seen them often in his dreams. But now he didn't see a monster anymore, instead he looked into the blue and deeply sad eyes of a totally destroyed human. They were the same eyes he had looked into before the Dark Lord had died allegedly. More and more there was a suspicion inside of Harry, a presumption of what might have happened.

In the meantime Harry had begun to feel cold because of the damp floor he was sitting on. So he got up and sat down on the plank bed while he was looking encouraging at Voldemort. First he didn't understand, but then he made an effort to creep over to Harry. He sat down awkwardly and leaned back at the wall tiredly. Since Snape had begun to torture him he wasn't able to stand up anymore, walking was impossible.

For a while they both sat there in silence and contemplated. Voldemort felt inexpressibly relieved that they had finally sent him somebody who treated him humanly. He feared Harry much less than the others.

Inside of his head Harry felt totally messy. He was definitely sure that something had been destroyed by the killing curse because this man certainly was not the one he was fighting against at Hogwarts. He could only guess about what had happened but it seemed that a part of Voldemort really had died.

"Listen", Harry said after he had come to a conclusion, "I know that you're afraid to even think about it, but I'd like to share my thoughts with you. We had a very close connection formerly. I often was able to see what you were doing and where you were. I suppose this connection is the key to help you."

Voldemort looked at Harry deeply terrified and was about to run away again, but Harry lay gently a hand on his arm.

"Please don't be afraid, Tom", he said cautiously, "I promise to leave immediately if you ask me to."

Voldemort struggled for a while, because he didn't want to allow another person to enter his world. On the other hand the young man was the first of all who really seemed to try to help him. It took several minutes until Voldemort finally made up his mind. Harry waited patiently because he knew that it would be counterproductive to rush him. After a while Voldemort nodded slightly and raised his hand to meet Harry's eyes. The young man carefully held his hands. He hoped to comfort him a little with this gesture. He could still feel Voldemort's suspicion and fear, but they had decreased in the last few minutes. He gathered himself and nodded at Harry.

"Legilimens", Harry said quietly while he was looking at Voldemort severly.

The surroundings vanished and turned into another place. Harry was amazed when he found himself sitting on a meadow with Voldemort. The calms were swaying gently in a landscape made of low green hills. The young man would never have guessed to find such a peaceful place in the Dark Lord's mind. He carefully got up and lent Voldemort a hand to help him getting up. They began walking to an undefined direction slowly. The scenario reminded Harry of his meeting with Dumbledore after Voldemort had killed him in the forbidden forest. This was a haven of silence and peace where one just could be. Harry finally understood that Severus must have entered this world extremely violent – that was the reason why Voldemort feared every attempt of legilimency so much.

"Thank you for trusting me, Tom", Harry said to his companion who tried to smile a little.

"This is the place I go to when I can't stand the prison any longer. I always had a chance to be alone and at peace here until Snape found a way…" Voldemort explained in whispers.

They remained silent while they kept on walking. Harry watched Voldemort interestedly. He really seemed to be at peace in this place. Harry realized more and more that there was nothing left of the man who had tried to kill him. Suddenly he had an idea.

"Tom, I'd like to go to another place with you. I want to show you something there that can perhaps bring us forward", he finally said to the absentminded man next to him who needed a few moments to realize that somebody was talking to him.

"Where?" Voldemort asked suspiciously.

Harry smiled. "To King's Cross."

Voldemort looked at him as puzzled as if he had lost his sanity right away. Harry smiled even more.

"A few weeks ago we had a very fatal encounter. There you killed me, well, not really killed me, only something similar. I didn't really die", Harry explained.

Voldemort's eyes became dark and sad when he heard Harry's words. He really had hoped to finally have found somebody who hadn't been touched by all the things he allegedly had done. But as it seems there was not one single person of that kind. He hated the monster he seemed to have been more and more.

"Another one who accuses me to have tried to kill him", he murmured sadly. Harry laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I have survived – and this isn't important at the moment", Harry went on explaining, "I woke up in some kind of a world between life and death which looked exactly like a railroad station in London, but that isn't important either. Important is what I have learned there."

The former Dark Lord had serious problems to figure out what Harry actually wanted to tell him. He supposed King's Cross to be a world similar to the one they were standing in right now, a world that only existed because they were able to imagine it.

Voldemort felt really relieved that Harry seemed to have forgiven him because of some reasons he didn't understand, even though this fact didn't help him finding his memories. Plus the young man seemed to be the only person of all who really cared for him. So he decided to accept his strange behavior and to wait for whatever was going to happen next.

"King's Cross", he finally said, "Wherever it might be…"

Harry took Voldemort's hand and concentrated on the place he wanted to go to. The surroundings vanished and turned into the familiar station of King's Cross. Like the last time there was nobody there and everything was bright and silent. It was surreal. Harry shivered inside when he thought about how he had come here the first time. But that day seemed to be so far away from him as if it had happened years ago, not only a few weeks.

He realized that he had somehow forgiven Voldemort. It was a weird feeling, because he would never have guessed this could happen. He always had hated the Dark Lord for killing his parents and so many others. But when he looked at that sad and totally destroyed man he had found in the prison, he just wasn't able to hate him anymore. He knew that he had forgiven him at the moment when he first had seen him in that hideous clink, when he had begun to understand what the killing curse had done to his former enemy. He wasn't able to hate him anymore and he knew that he didn't even want to hate him.

Harry looked around attentively to find out if somebody else was here, but they were alone. He always had been wondering about how Dumbledore had been able to enter his head, but he also knew that the old man had had many talents. Dumbledore had been one of the most powerful sorcerers of all times and that he even had invented some amazing spells.

Harry turned around and saw Voldemort standing a few meters ahead. While he was so deep in thought he hadn't realized that the other man had turned to another direction. Now he was standing in front of one of the benches looking at something that seemed to be lying behind it. Harry scolded himself for being so headless to allow Voldemort to find what he wanted to tell him carefully. He closed up to him fast and found his presumption approved.

"What is this?" Voldemort asked disgustedly and pointed at the being that lay behind the bench.

When Harry had seen it the last time it already had looked so disgusting, but it still had been alive, but now the maltreated and skinned little child was dead. Another piece that confirmed the suspicion Harry had in mind for quite a while now.

The young man had tried to prepare himself for this appointment, but he still didn't know how to tell Voldemort what that little child was all about. Nevertheless his companion seemed to have his own thoughts about it.

Harry took a deep breath and scratched his head.

"It is a piece of your soul, Tom", he explained cautiously, "The piece you had left inside of me in the night my parents died."

Of course he could have articulated this sentence with other words but he didn't want to. Accusing Voldemort for another murder wouldn't bring them forward and it would just reopen some old wounds.

"I don't understand…" Voldemort said totally confused.

"It's a long and very complex story", Harry said and sat down on the bench.

He knew that there was nothing else to do but telling Voldemort the truth. Because he knew how long this was going to last he didn't want to keep standing here. The former Dark Lord sat down next to him.

"Well, Tom, I will tell you some things about you now that surely nobody has told you before, because there are not many people who know about them. Some parts of it may be spooky and weird, others are hard to believe, but I promise to tell you nothing but the truth. I have a clue about what had happened to you, but you won't understand it before I've told you about it." Harry began.

He was surely not allowed to tell Voldemort the whole truth, but on the other hand he claimed to have the right to let his former enemy in. At last it had been Harry who had defeated the Dark Lord, so he was somehow responsible for the state he was in now.

Voldemort didn't say a word, but Harry could guess the confusion in his head. This moment was ought to be the key to his future. The expression on Voldemort's face showed several emotions – curiosity, fear and reluctance, he just didn't know what to think. His behavior confirmed Harry in his opinion that it was a good idea to tell Voldemort the truth.

"Your greatest wish always was to be immortal. This at last was the reason for all the following mess", the young wizard said thoughtfully.

"I don't want to be immortal!" Voldemort said severly to confirm Harry's suspicion.

"At that time it was your strongest wish. You've been searching for a possibility to prevent yourself from being killed. And then you found out about the horcruxes", Harry went on while Voldemort was listening attentively, "Black magic that makes you able to divide your soul into several pieces which can be bound to random items. You've been very creative in finding them."

"In… in how many pieces did I …divide my soul?" Voldemort asked unbelieving.

Harry noticed the disgust in his former enemy's voice.

"For enabling us to defeat you we had to destroy six horcruxes", Harry replied proudly, but noticed the horror in Voldemort's eyes.

"How on earth can somebody be able to mutilate his soul this way?" he shouted agitatedly.

'And now we're back to the unpleasant point', Harry thought by himself. But he knew that there was no way back so he had to live through this.

"For the creation of every single horcrux you had to commit murder", he admitted cautiously.

Voldemort reacted in the way Harry had expected. He jumped up and looked at him with disgusted horror in his eyes. He wanted to say something, opened his mouth and closed it again without speaking.

"I'm afraid that this still isn't the whole story", Harry went on. At this point he just wanted to bring this to an end.

Voldemort sat down again, but was still very upset. He looked as if he was scared of the things he was going to hear next.

"As I've told you before another horcrux remained inside of me", Harry closed the circle.

"But I haven't actually killed you!" Voldemort tossed in. He finally understood and was even more upset.

"No, of course not…" Harry replied biting his lip thoughtfully.

Actually he didn't want to load something more on Voldemort's shoulders, but he knew that it had to be.

"You've killed my parents. Then you wanted to strike me down, but the killing curse rebounded on you while I survived. I was still a baby child then…" Harry explained very cautiously.

Voldemort buried his face in his hands and shook his head again and again. He wasn't able to stand what he heard. As Harry saw his tears he didn't know how to react. He could understand and accept the fact that Voldemort didn't remember anything he had done, but he had never thought the Dark Lord was able to cry!

Harry took his arm around Voldemort's shoulders carefully and stroked his back to comfort him. He was truly sorry for telling him all those terrible facts.

"Please", Voldemort said after a while, "Please tell me the rest, tell me everything I need to know!"

"Are you sure you really want to hear that?" Harry asked worriedly. Voldemort nodded intently but didn't dare to look Harry in the eyes anymore. He was deeply ashamed.

"You didn't die on that day, because your horcruxes kept your soul alive, but you lost your body. You've been travelling around like some kind of ghost trying to find a way to gain a new physical existence", Harry resumed all he knew about it.

"And why did the curse rebound on me?" Voldemort asked quietly.

"Hm, this may sound a bit odd now", Harry admitted. "In the moment my mother sacrificed herself for me you weren't able to harm me anymore. Her love for me was like a protecting shield. Well, that's the version Dumbledore told me."

"If all of this is true I'm really wondering why you are still talking to me", Voldemort said ashamed, his voice only a whisper.

"Because I have forgiven you, Tom", Harry replied sincerely.

Voldemort remained silent for a while because he needed time to cope with the facts Harry had told him. Deep inside of his heart he knew that Harry was telling the truth, that he once really had been this gruesome man. But he didn't understand why he had been this way. Even the imagination of killing somebody disgusted him. He also didn't understand why this young man still was talking to him, when he had been the one to destroy his family. He was ashamed by all means.

"I want to tell you something else, Tom" Harry interrupted Voldemort's confused thoughts after a while, "That …thing you have seen lying behind the bench is the piece of your soul which had lived inside of me. You didn't know and so did I. When you tried to kill me in the forbidden forest that day you injured it gravely as you can see, but it was still alive. It finally died in the moment I defeated you."

"But why am I still alive even though every piece of my soul has been destroyed?" Voldemort wanted to know.

Harry looked into Voldemort's eyes, the same blue eyes he was looking into after the killing curse had struck him down. There was no more doubt.

"Because there still was something living inside of you, something you have always supressed – your humanity", Harry finally stated his suspicion.

Voldemort had confirmed this suspicion again and again, so Harry was absolutely sure.

After a while of intense thinking Voldemort raised his head again and looked at Harry. There were still tears in the sad eyes of this man who could barely believe what he had been told.

Harry gave him an encouraging smile. "And that is the reason why I can finally forgive you, Tom."

Voldemort didn't say a word, he replied Harry's offer with a thankful glance. The young man's forgiveness meant the world to him.

In Voldemort's head there was a great riot of thoughts. The facts Harry had told him almost ripped him apart. He finally knew that he really was the man Snape and McAlister saw in him. He hated himself and he was even more ashamed. But in the moment Harry had forgiven him a huge burden had fallen from his heart, a burden he hadn't even known that he had carried it around. He felt relieved because now he had certainty, now he knew everything he needed to find himself. Of course he still didn't remember all his gruesome deeds, but he would be given time to reflect on them. He knew when Harry, whose life he had destroyed, was able to forgive him, he would probably be able to forgive himself someday.

Harry left Voldemort's mind and leaned back at the wall exhaustedly. This had surely been the most difficult conversation of his life. He looked at Voldemort thoughtfully who was sitting there like petrified, lost somewhere in his own thoughts. The young man stood up carefully.

"I will go now, Tom", he interrupted the other man's thoughts.

Voldemort looked at him for a long while. He seemed as if he wanted to say something but didn't know how to say it.

"Will you help me?" he finally asked shyly.

Harry nodded and smiled slightly which seemed to make the man on the plank bed feel much better. He lay down and wrapped himself up in his robes again, because he still felt terribly cold. This was the first time Harry really noticed that he was feeling cold either.

Yes, he would help Voldemort. It was the only way for both of them to finally find peace.

He cast a spell to increase the temperature in the cell. After Voldemort had fallen asleep he turned around and left the room deep in thoughts.


	27. Results

Results

Snape and McAlister had decided to give Harry all the time that he needed. They had adjourned to the aurors' dining room to wait for him. In the evening they asked the elves for another meal, which was as bad as the one the day before. Snapes worries for Harry grew higher and higher.

"We shouldn't have left him alone!" he finally shouted, jumped up and threw his napkin on the table.

McAlister didn't let him ruffle her and sipped from her glass before she looked at him obviously irritated.

"Just stop this! I'm fed up with hearing this again and again", she sighed, "I'm sure the boy is doing well. If he had come into difficulties we would have been told by the guards."

"And what if Voldemort took Harry's wand and did… did… whatsoever!" Snape dared her.

"Then we would know either", the auror stated modestly, "Voldemort's much too weak for having such peculiar ideas!"

"Bah! He's a liar! Everybody knows that!" Snape shouted and didn't seem to be willing to put the topic ad acta.

"Please sit down", McAlister demanded a little annoyed, "And stop doubting Mr Potter's skills. I'm sure he and he alone is the one to find out what happened to Voldemort."

Because he didn't want to mess with the auror again, Snape sat down reluctantly and started to pick at his food. Of course he was sure about the fact that if there was somebody in the world who could solve the problem, it would be Harry. Snape wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, but Harry Potter had become his friend. He was important to him, because he didn't have anybody else who cared about him. The thought of Voldemort finally finishing his diabolic deeds in killing Harry made Snape shiver. On the other hand it had been him alone who had weakened Voldemort so much that he surely wasn't able to harm Harry.

Besides he had to acknowledge to himself that he really trusted McAlister's view. She was an experienced auror who was especially still alive because she was able to rely on her instincts. If she claimed that Harry wasn't in danger and would solve this riddle, he could be assured that she was trustworthy.

Snape watched the auror eating. Although she didn't leave a doubt on her opinion about the prison food's inedibility, she ate that stuff with a huge appetite and even more death-defiance.

Above all there was something about this woman that fascinated Snape by all means. He already admitted to himself that he would have loved to know more about her, but he could find neither the necessary courage nor the right words to ask her.

After a while she pushed her plate away and called for one of the house elves who came running into the room looking very servile.

"Has there never been anyone to show you how to cook?" she asked with a lot of annoyance in her voice.

The elf nearly sank into the carpet while he hastily tried to justify: "Nobody ever complained about the quality of our food, madam…"

Snape was amused while he watched the auror explaining her discontent with well-chosen words to the elf. At last she threatened him to visit the kitchen in case of no improvement in the next days. There were no words to describe the horror in the elf's eyes. He bowed about ten times and assured that he would do everything that's necessary to please the auror's wishes. Then he ran out of the room screaming.

Snape fascinatedly watched him leave while McAlister leaned back on her chair and began to laugh out loud.

"I wanted to do this since the day I've arrived here!" she shouted gleefully.

"Maybe we should employ some of the house elves from Hogwarts for a while", Snape suggested for fun, "They're award winning cooks!"

The auror loved the idea, that's why Snape promised to arrange everything. But they didn't get the chance to talk about it any longer, because Harry entered the room.

"Is there something for dinner left for me?" he asked with hungry eyes.

"Harry!" Snape shouted, "I'm glad to see you unharmed!"

The young wizard sat down at the table and indicated to one of the elves that he wanted to have some food. After he had explained him his wishes he finally looked at the other persons at the table.

"Thanks for your concern, Severus, but I'm fine and I wasn't in danger at any time", he explained.

Saying this he seemed to be so totally satisfied that there was a load falling off of Snape's heart. If he had seen just one single scratch on Harry he would have immediately ran to Voldemort to kill him with his own hands.

"Something new about the Dark Lord?" McAlister asked curiously. She could hardly hide her thirst for knowledge.

Harry nodded, but the long conversation with Voldemort had exhausted him, so he put it off until the next morning. Right now he only wanted to eat something and then he needed nothing more than a warm bed. He was chilled to the bones because of Voldemort's damp clink.

"You won't be happy about the things I have to say, but it is important enough to have the minister with us when I tell you about what I've been talking about with Voldemort. We should postpone this meeting until tomorrow", he explained his secretiveness.

Snape and McAlister looked quite disappointed, because they just couldn't hide their curiosity. Harry seemed to finally have made the breakthrough, but why did he behave so mysteriously?

"Ah, there's something more", Harry added, "The cell you force him to live in is an imposition! The cold destroys his body and the darkness destroys his mind. I'd be glad if somebody thought about changing this!"

Snape and McAlister looked at each other in surprise. None of them would ever have had the idea to grant Voldemort even the slightest accommodation. But Severus had always known that Harry was a good man who wasn't able to tolerate a person living in such a miserable condition.

After they had promised to arrange everything the way he wanted, Harry said goodbye for the night and left.

Snape was the next to stand up from the table.

"I suspect tomorrow will be a highly interesting and very long day. I think I should go to sleep either", he explained.

"One more thing", the auror replied, "According to the fact that Harry is the only person Voldemort trusts in I will give order that from now on he's the only one who's allowed to work with him. I don't want their new bond of trust to be destroyed and I want to prevent you from torturing Voldemort again."

"I admit that I often have let myself go too much when I was interrogating him. This is inexcusable. I will try to control myself better in the future", Snape promised.

When McAlister noticed the severity of his apology she smiled slightly.

Actually Snape was really ashamed for his behavior. He admired the auror's self-control by all means. He never had stopped his feelings from gaining the upper hand on his rationality. He had given in to his hate and his desire for revenge. Nobody needed to tell him that his actions had been irresponsible – he knew that pretty well.

They left the dining room together. When Snape turned around to walk down the corridor which led to his bedroom, he was held back. He turned to the woman again and saw something in her eyes he wasn't able to interprete. But before he had a chance to say something she laid a hand on his rough cheek and kissed him. Then she turned around and hurried down the corridor without saying a word.

Severus Snape was totally thunderstruck. He winked a few times and supposed to be lost in a most peculiar dream. Totally aghast he stared at the point where the auror was standing seconds ago. He carefully raised his hand to the cheek where her hand had been lying. The kiss had tasted sweet, different from what he would have expected from such a cold and distant person.

Totally confused he went down the corridor to his quarters. He absolutely didn't know how to behave when he saw her the next morning…


	28. Innermost Needs

Innermost needs

The quarters in the prison complex were anything but comfortable. The only difference to the cells was the fact that they gave you the key.

Harry had slept miserably, not only because of the uncomfortable bed but even more because of his conversation with Voldemort the day before. He had thought about Voldemort's words and reactions again and again until about 5 am when he finally came to a result. He was curious about the other's reaction. But he was a little afraid of them either.

Not far away from Goodson's office there was a little conference room that wasn't often used so it had finally become a vault for several things. Shannon McAlister had got up early to instruct the house elves how she wanted the room to look like at 8 am. She had already sent a message to the minister before she had gone to bed last night to tell him about the high importance of this issue. So Shacklebolt was the first to arrive.

"Good morning, Shannon", he greeted her buoyantly. "I suppose we'll be talking about our appreciated Dark Lord?"

McAlister smirked when she noticed the minister's subtle irony.

"Yes, indeed", she replied, "Mr Potter seems to have been very successful yesterday. But he still cloaks everything in secrecy, that's why I know just as much as you do."

At the same moment Severus Snape entered the room looking as gloomy as usual. He nodded at the others and sat down at the table opposite to the minister. McAlister noticed that he avoided looking at her intentionally. She gave him a smile, but he didn't see it.

Only a little too late Harry entered the small room in a hurry.

"I'm sorry for being late, but it was nearly impossible to have a proper breakfast here. It had already been about quarter to eight when the elves finally understood what I wanted to eat", he apologized.

The auror nodded at him and smiled, Snape gave him just a friendly glance and Shacklebolt shook his hand eagerly.

"So?" the minister wanted to know after they all had taken their chair. "What's up, Harry?"

Harry revised everything he had been thinking about last night in his mind while he glanced at the others shyly.

"Well, I think it will be the best not to beat around the bush", he started cautiously. With a little more self-esteem he added: "The man in this disastrous clink is totally and completely innocent!"

Now that the cat was let out of the bag Harry heard the expected reactions:

"What!"

"Are you mental?"

"You're joking!"

They all jumped up and stared at Harry with a mix of consternation, surprise and disbelief. How could he – he of all people! – claim that Voldemort was innocent when everybody knew about the things he had done?

"Please let me explain", Harry said and raised his hands annoyed, "This issue is very complex!"

"I'm sure of that", Shacklebolt murmured and sat down again.

Snape and McAlister did the same while they didn't stop looking at Harry. They obviously doubted his soundness of mind.

"Harry, have you gone mental?" Snape asked concerned.

"No, I think I've never seen things as clear as now", Harry still tried to calm down the others, before he went on explaining: "Yesterday I've had a very exhausting conversation with Voldemort. The legilimency lections you once gave me were very useful, Severus. But instead of you I did it very carefully. Finally he really trusted me and we had the chance to share our thoughts."

"He let you get right to his innermost core?" McAlister asked baffled.

"Yes, indeed", Harry revealed proudly, "I've explained a few things to him you kept secret all the time…"

"We were just afraid it might become a problem if he knew too much", the minister justified his orders.

"You've given him so little that he didn't even have the slightest clue where to begin!" Harry replied reproachfully. "However, I've been looking inside of his soul…"

"After destroying all the horcruxes there shouldn't be too much left of his soul, should it?" Snape asked snarkly.

Harry nodded eagerly. Now he had them all on the right track.

"That's the point!" he confirmed. "We've always assumed that Voldemort had ripped his soul into seven pieces – six horcruxes that he had made knowingly and the seventh one inside of me."

"That's correct", McAlister ascertained. She knew everything about this issue, because she had read all the reports about it.

"Did anyone of you ever think about the question why he's still alive when nobody is able to live without a soul?" Harry said with sparkling eyes.

Minister, auror and potions master looked at each other wondering while there was a suspicion forming in their heads.

"You think there's an eighth horcrux?" Shacklebolt put that thought into words.

This time Harry shook his head: "No. I'm sure that this special piece is no horcrux. It's something that Dumbledore would have called the innermost will to survive. It's the part Voldemort always had denied, even though nobody is able to live without it. I mean the innermost core of our soul, the humanity, the passion, the goodness and finally the sense of basic trust in life itself. That is what's still alive inside of him, that's what makes him still hold on to life. But this part of Voldemort is as innocent as a child and can't be called to account."

Harry was shivering because of his excitement. He hoped with all his heart that those three people believed him, that they understood what he wanted to tell them. But they needed a while to comprehend what they had heard.

"But he's still Voldemort!" Snape finally shouted agitatedly.

"No!" Harry persisted, "He is the amount of what Voldemort had always detested and denied deep inside of himself. It had almost died, because he always believed he can live without it and that he doesn't need it. In the moment the Elder Wand rebound the killing curse on him something really died – it was all the evil and all the features Voldemort had always appreciated of himself. The remaining part of him – how to explain... it's the essence of a newborn Tom Riddle who doesn't know any evil."

While Harry was speaking Shacklebolt had stood up and started to pace up and down – no easy task in this tiny room!

"I'm sorry, Harry", he finally sighed, "But I can't even imagine something like that. I can't believe that there is something good inside of this monster."

Shannon McAlister looked very thoughtful and withdrawn into herself when she began to speak after a while: "Have you ever noticed that the man in that clink is just like a child? The only emotions I experienced with him were fear, sadness and disbelief, as if he had been thrown into a world he just can't understand… Another proof of your theory is that he can't remember any of Voldemort's deeds."

"Do you expect we let him go just because of your weird diagnose?" Snape growled.

His voice sounded dangerously and his look surely was able to nail Harry against the wall.

"And I'm sure that the wizgamot will never believe the testimony of a young wizard without any experiences as an auror", Shacklebolt added, "You must admit that everything you told us is quite a claim!"

"I know that!" Harry justified himself.

"If only I could prove it to you!" he said desperately, "You should have seen him yesterday. The man down there isn't the Dark Lord anymore! You should have seen his reactions on everything I told him. He was so disgusted und he just can't understand how he had ever been able to seek power and immortality in such a ruthless way!"

"But we haven't been there! So your claims are built on very thin ice, Harry!" McAlister said sadly.

"There may be a way to share your memories with us", Snape said calmly and made the others look at him in surprise.

Harry understood immediately: "We need a pensieve!"

"They're very rare. I have never seen one before", McAlister pondered sadly.

"I have access to one", Snape revealed, "Because of all the chaos at Hogwarts I allowed myself to keep some of Professor Dumbledore's belongings safe."

"That's absolutely great!" Harry shouted excitedly. Finally there was land in sight! "Where is it?"

"It's in a hidden room in the dungeons of Hogwarts. I'm the only one who knows about its existence. Not even the headmistress knows about it", Snape replied secretively.

Shacklebolt was interested immediately.

"How much time do you need to bring it here, Severus?" he asked urgently.

"Because of the protecting enchantments I cannot apparate directly into the castle, so I have to take a little detour. But I can be on my way immediately", Snape let the others know.

"I will assist you!" McAlister said. It was by far more a fact than a request.

Snape couldn't say anything against it, even though he was a little scared of being alone with the auror. On the other hand his visit at Hogwarts served the higher good, that's why he had to bury his feelings deep inside of him for the moment.

"Fine, fine", Shacklebolt agreed as he found himself outvoted, "Let's meet again in the afternoon for brainstorming with Harry!"

Harry was glad about Severus' genius idea. It was difficult for him to find the right words to explain what he had experienced the day before. Showing the others his memory in a pensieve was much easier.

He accompanied Shacklebolt, Snape and McAlister to the portkey from where they could leave the prison.

"See you then!" he dismissed them.

Shacklebolt nodded at him and disappeared. Snape chivalrously yielded to the auror who smiled at him before she used the portkey. Harry didn't overlook the expression on his friend's face who was obviously agitated by the woman's smile. He patted Snape's shoulder and smirked.

"She's very charming, Severus", Harry told him with a wink. Snape answered with his famous death-defying look. Harry's grin grew even wider.

Snape blushed a little, murmured something and disappeared.

Relieved that he had survived the meeting without provoking any kind of scandal and amused about the obvious tension between Severus and Shannon Harry went looking for the prison governor. Because he didn't find him he went back to his office and waited. A few minutes later Goodson entered the room.

"Mr Potter!" Goodson shouted in surprise and with extreme enthusiasm, "Nice to meet you here! What can I do for you?"

"Actually you can really do something for me, Mr Goodson", Harry immediately answered the offer. "It's about the prison conditions of a certain prisoner…"

"Who are you talking about?" the governor asked abstractedly.

Harry still thought that Goodson looked like Peter Pettigrew, especially when he was showing his humorless rat grin.

"Voldemort!" he said and made Goodson cringe heavily.

"Don't say this name!" he squeeked, but the young man wasn't impressed at all.

"His clink is the definition of imposition! Even though he was the Dark Lord blablabla I think we should make at least a few concessions! The cell is cold, damp and dark, not to mention the dramatic quality of the sanitary fittings down there! I want you to improve that clink significantly and I require that the house elves don't always forget him when they distribute food!" Harry listed his demands while his voice was getting louder. He obviously caused Goodson grave discomfort.

"Only Ms McAlister is allowed to give orders like this", he replied, glad about the existence of regulations he could cling to.

"Do you want to deny me a favor?" Harry asked cunningly and stared into Goodson's little rat eyes.

"No, Mr Potter, of course not! Your wish is my command!" Goodson stammered devotedly. It was the first time ever that Harry was glad about being something like a hero.

He was disgusted by the governor's hypocritical devotion, but at the same time he was proud of having convinced him to even give him plenty of scope concerning the special prisoner. Equipped with a bowl of more or less edible content, a mug of fresh water and some warm blankets he went down to Voldemort's cell. There he told the guards about the legality of his intention, so they let him in.

Voldemort was sleeping restlessly on his hard plank bed. His rattling breath told Harry unmistakably that the prisoner was getting more and more ill each day. The young man quietly put the mug and the bowl onto the small table in the corner and laid the blankets over the shivering sleeper. Then he tapped with his wand against the shimmering ball of light to increase its brightness and used another charm to dry the walls. He looked around, satisfied with what he had done, then he looked at the man who had rolled himself up on the small bed. He knew that he was over the worst things now. Voldemort wasn't an enemy to him any longer and somehow he felt happy about that fact. They would probably never be friends, but respect for each other was by far more than enough in this case.

"Sleep well, Tom!" he whispered before he left the cell.


	29. Concealed

Concealed

The summer sun was high on a almost cloudless sky when Snape and McAlister arrived at the shores of the Black Lake. The noble school castle stood enthroned on its mountain and still radiated all its dignity, even though it was a huge building site at the moment. The damage could be seen everywhere.

Even as a child Snape had loved the decent gothic architecture and he still felt the shiver running down his spine that he had felt at the very first time he had seen the castle so many years ago. The auror next to him stood in silence as well while she thought about her school time.

"I haven't been here for ages", she sighed after a while. "Before we came here I didn't even know how much I missed it…"

Snape smiled slightly. He felt exactly the same.

Together they followed a narrow path that led to one of the entrances to the campus. There was nothing to hear but the wind in the trees and some songbirds. In the background there were some certain sounds coming from the castle which told them about the heavy maintenance work. The new school year was going to begin in a few weeks and there still were countless things to do.

McAlister enjoyed the warmth of the sun to the fullest. Finally she noticed that she hadn't seen the sun for weeks because of her work in the dark and wearing prison. She actually wondered about the fact that she still wasn't depressive.

In the wink of her eye she watched the former teacher who was walking next to her showing his usual gloomy look. He hadn't spoken much since they had parted the night before and she hoped that the reason was her.

The path led through a small group of trees where she remained silent. Snape stood still as well and gave her a puzzled look. She came closer and looked into his eyes for a while. She held him still with her eyes, so he didn't even think about moving an inch. When she kissed him this time he was prepared. He savored the sweet taste of her lips and replied the kiss cautiously and very shyly. When their lips parted he saw a smile on her face. He never had thought that such a cold and distanced woman was able to smile so tenderly and open-hearted. There was nothing left of the cold she showed everybody else. For a long time he hadn't felt so confused and totally upset. Could it be that he – Severus Snape – finally was able to let another woman than Lily get straight to his heart? He wanted to find out because he knew it was worth it. Tenderly he kissed her again and enjoyed the way she squeezed him tightly. Then the woman broke the spell and let him go.

"Come", she said quietly, "We still have something to do…"

Like in a trance he followed her through the entrance up to the castle. He enjoyed watching her graceful moves.

When they reached the yard in front of the main entrance Snape finally came down to earth again, because there was so much going on. Countless people were running around, moving things with their wands and radiating an aura of constructiveness. They entered the castle after they had sneaked along the wall without being seen by anybody. Now they hurried down to the dungeons…

"In which house have you been?" Shannon asked while they followed the long corridors.

"Slytherin", he murmured, "It's been a while…"

"I was in Ravenclaw", she remembered with mixed emotions, "I would have loved to be sorted into Slytherin, but that hat…"

She sighed and Severus knew what she meant. He hadn't been sorted into the house of his dreams as well. He would have given everything for being sorted into Gryffindor – the house Lily was in. But fate had chosen another path for him.

They randomly passed a corridor where some big boards were hanging at the wall. They showed the names of students of every senior year in the whole century. Both looked for their own names.

"I was a little first year when you wrote your OWLs", Severus mentioned in surprise. He had guessed the auror much younger.

She showed him a big grin and winked: "I hope you can stand being with such an old woman, Severus!"

Because he didn't know how to reply this comment he gathered all his courage and kissed her again. She actually seemed to like it. At this moment he felt young again as if he was just at the age when his name had been carved into that board.

Hand in hand like teenagers in love they finally entered the gloomy corridor that led to Severus' former classroom. Shannon looked much more serious now, just like Severus who raised his wand with his free hand. They went to the darkest corner of the corridor and finally reached the door to Severus' secret room. He murmured some spells and opened the door.

Everything was still in place as far as he could see. He was really glad about having this room which he considered more secure than the vaults of Gringotts – he didn't trust them anymore since Harry had told him about that dragon-incident. He had to put away some items before he was able to find the pensieve. It was very precious, so he had hidden it well. He was wondering about the fact that McGonagall hadn't asked him about it yet.

He let the low bowl slide through the air to the middle of the room. Shannon looked at it interestedly.

"I've imagined it somehow more… spectacular", she admitted a little disappointedly.

"It will unfold its true awesomeness as soon as we start to use it", he comforted her secretively.

Severus hid the precious pensieve carefully somewhere inside his robes and turned to go. Shannon looked around the untidy room for the last time. She could have sworn that the former teacher was a friend of obsessive tidiness. She liked him even more because he wasn't.

After Severus had sealed the room again they turned to leave. Both of them didn't want to spend more time than necessary down there in the dark dungeons, because they had had too much darkness in the last weeks. This time they chose another way to the main entrance that made them pass the Great Hall where Shannon stood silent for a moment.

"It's hard to believe that we once had so many feasts here. Look at all the debris…" she said melancholically and seemed to be lost in long gone memories.

The hall was indeed in a disastrous state. The fragments of the broken windows were lying all around. Some of the columns and a huge part of the ceiling had caved in, and everything that was still standing wasn't far away from crumbling. On the floor there still were spots of blood which reminded them harmfully of the battle not long ago. Voldemort and his followers hadn't left one stone on the other. Shannon noticed that Severus was shivering because of all the memories, so she grabbed his arm and pushed him out of the hall.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked cautiously.

"I'm thinking of all the people who died in here", he replied silently, "And I'm afraid that I can't even hate Voldemort for all of that anymore as soon as we found out that Harry is telling the truth."

Shannon noticed that her companion started to drift into thoughts she didn't want him to think right now. So she forced him to hurry down the stairs, through the entrance and out to the yard.

The sun was still shining outside the castle and there was still a lot of commotion going on. Unseen by any know faces they finally left the campus. Severus pushed his gloomy thoughts aside, because he knew that they would only be in the way at the meeting in the afternoon. So he set his mind on the woman who was walking next to him looking out for a place from where they could apparate. He still didn't quite know how to behave when she was around, but she seemed to know and he was alright with it.

"Severus!" she finally waved away his deep thoughts, "Are you really sure to be OK with what Harry is going to show us?"

He heard the concern in her voice, a voice that sounded so unfamiliar warm when they were alone. He nodded reassuring. He would pull himself together, no matter what may come. He already knew that Shannon was willing by all means to believe Harry and to give Voldemort a decent chance. Severus would do his best, not because of Voldemort but because Shannon was so important to him.

"Concerning Voldemort I will try not to give in to my emotions", he promised.

"And concerning me?" she asked winking mischievously.

His answer was a tender kiss, then they disapparated. The others were waiting for them.


	30. Conspiracy

Conspiracy

After McAlister's message had arrived at his office Kingsley Shacklebolt returned to the prison with mixed emotions. He had been contemplating about Harry Potter's words for hours now. Was it really possible that after destroying all the horcruxes there was no more evil left inside of Voldemort? To him it sounded impossible, but he couldn't get rid of the feeling the young man told the truth.

Shacklebolt wanted to use the time waiting for Snape and the pensieve to do his office work but he wasn't able to concentrate on anything. He felt somehow uncomfortable when he laid his hands on the portkey to travel to the prison again.

In this early evening hour there was a lot of activity going on in the prison's corridors. Apparently the aurors had brought some new prisoners not long ago. Hence Goodson wasn't present in his office, so Shacklebolt was glad for not having to talk to him again. He hurried to the conference room where the others were already waiting for him.

Some inches above the table hovered a dark bowl that seemed to be filled with an oily liquid. Shacklebolt had seen the pensieve for the first time in Dumbledore's office years ago, but he never had had a chance to use it. Harry and Snape seemed to have had their special experiences with it but McAlister looked at it somehow suspiciously.

"Well", Snape said after they had all gathered around the table, "Harry will put his memory of that special event into the pensieve. Because we can't dive into the bowl together I will use a special charm to show everything in a downscaled version hovering above the pensieve."

Then he looked at Harry who raised his wand with a shivering hand. Cautiously he pulled a small shining string of memories from his temple and put it into the pensieve. Some inches above the bowl slowly emerged a picture out of some swirly smoke. It showed Harry and Voldemort in a huge hall flooded with light.

Harry crossed his arms and attentively watched the conversation he had had the day before. He hoped with all his heart the others would decide to believe him. He wanted this man who was waiting for his fate in that horrible clink not to be put to trial for the deeds Lord Voldemort had done. He knew they weren't his fault.

The longer the persons in the conference room watched Harry's memories the more fascinated they were. Everybody listened carefully to the memory of the conversation that Harry shared with them. They were astonished about what they heard.

McAlister noticed the pure truth in this memory. Harry Potter was completely right when he said that Voldemort was totally innocent in the present state he was in. His disgust and his lack of understanding for what he had done and what he had been touched her heart. The only thing that was left of the dark Lord was the way he looked.

Shacklebolt was very suspicious in the beginning because he could hardly imagine there could exist something good in a tyrant like Voldemort. But in Harry's memory he saw Voldemort in a way he never would have dreamed of. There he saw a broken man who was hurt deeply by his own history, who was ashamed by all means for the things he couldn't remember but imagine, a man who was totally regretful.

Snape had severe problems to watch the scene dispassionately. Of course he had promised Shannon not to let his feelings lead him, but he couldn't help fighting with his emotions. Over the years he had always cherished his hate for the Dark Lord. He had imagined killing him in the most gruesome way not only once. But through the veil of hatred he realized more and more that he wouldn't be able to either hate or kill this desperate and broken man he saw in Harry's memory.

Finally Harry caught his memory from the pensieve and put it back to his temple. He felt much better as soon as it was back where it belonged. Then he looked at the others very attentively who were contemplating deeply over what they had seen.

"We can't put him to trial", Snape said after a while, he of all people who had been so suspicious about all of this.

"I agree with you", McAlister concurred, "He's not able to stand trial for the Dark Lord's deeds. If he's really put to trial, it would be only for the people who want to execute him. I will never be able to reconcile with my conscience to have permitted the execution of an innocent man just for satisfying the masses."

Harry would never have expected statements like these. He wondered about the auror whom he had estimated very different. Even more he marveled about Severus being able to defeat his hate. Otherwise he suspected the auror's influence on the former teacher's decisions. He didn't overlook the chemistry between them.

"That's quite difficult", Shacklebold disturbed Harry's line of thought, "Despite the fact that it is more than ambitious to not put him to trial, I wonder what we should do with him otherwise."

"The most important question at the moment is how to make it possible to prevent him from the trial", the auror tossed in, ""How many people do actually know that he's here?"

"Except the four of us, there's just the prison governor and a few aurors, guards and house elves who are working here", the minister listed.

"Nobody else?" Harry asked in surprise.

He had been afraid that the whole ministry and many others were informed about Voldemort's survival. But in this case…

"Nobody else", Shacklebolt confirmed, "We decided to keep this as secret as possible. If everybody knew that Voldemort is still alive it would surely start an uncontrollable turmoil. We wanted to take things slow and look if he would ever be able to stand trial. When they found him he was more dead than alive. The auror's who were at Hogwarts to carry him away are all working here by the way."

"It is a manageable number of people after all", Snape said calmly. "Small enough to safely use an Obliviatus."

The others immediately knew what Snape wanted to let them know. It was a perfidious plan, but surely a plan that could work.

"We could bring him away from here and take care that nobody will ever know that he had been here", Harry said excitedly.

That was even better than he had dared to hope!

"Nah, please slow down a little!" Shacklebolt kicked them out of the universe of their idea and raised his hands, "We are talking about freeing a prisoner the whole world wants to put to trial! Based on the possibility that we really find a way to do this – where should he go? In this world there will be no safe place for him. You must confess that he doesn't really look ordinary."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. Because of his excitement he had not yet thought about this problem.

"He needs to go into exile somewhere…We must find a place where he can hide and nobody can find him", he contemplated.

"Will it make him feel good to live somewhere at the edge of the world all alone?" McAlister asked quietly.

"I think it's one of the things he would prefer to an execution'", Snape assumed sardonically.

"For the time being he can live in my house. I'm talking about the House at Grimauld Place that I've inherited from Sirius. Since the order no longer exists nobody ever goes there. There he will be safe until we find something else", Harry suggested.

Shacklebolt was struggling extremely with himself. Of course he was thankful for Harry's excellent work which had showed him that they had no right to put Voldemort to trial in the state he was in at the moment. He himself was the last to set up a show trial that would only serve to the people's thirst for blood. This wretched picture of misery down there in the dungeon was surely not even able to survive a trial like this, because he could hardly bear the hate everybody would show him. But did these facts give him, the minister of magic, the right to free the prisoner quietly and secretly? He definitely set enough trust in those three people that they were able to keep Voldemort safe from harm and to hide him somewhere where nobody could find him, but he saw the other side as well. Like almost everybody he had lost friends and family because of the Death Eaters who had finally acted in the Dark Lord's name. They were far too many to just ignore them. I mighty part of him wanted to know the Dark Lord sentenced and punished. But the other part of him that had seen the changes that had happened to Voldemort knew that it was wrong to do this to him. The Dark Lord was dead, killed by his own curse that had hit him in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

"Each of us lost loved ones because of Voldemort", Snape finally disturbed the thoughtful silence, "But we must realize, that this prisoner is not the killer we all hate."

Shacklebolt was jolly glad that somebody put his thoughts into words. This made him feel much less alone when he finally made a decision.

"We have to make a plan", he finally put his thoughts to the point, "It has to happen quickly. We must not risk that anybody has the slightest chance to find out what's going on."

"I have already an idea", the auror revealed with a cunning smile.

"Speak", Snape requested.

He was totally excited by their plan. He would never have thought to be some kind of escape helper, all the more if it was for a prisoner as special as this one, but deep inside he knew it was right.

"Every Friday afternoon at about 4 pm there is a jour-fix everybody has to participate", McAlister revealed her knowledge about the prison routine, "It takes place in the guard's break room which is rather small. There it is no problem for me to cast the Obliviate on everybody at once. But there has to be another person who casts it on the house elves. It's important by all means to take Voldemort from his cell and bring him to the portkey in time. Finally it's on you, Kingsley, to bring us away from the ministry before anybody can see us.

"That's no problem", Harry tossed in, "We'll use my good old cloak of invisibility."

"Excellent idea", Snape approved. He liked the whole proposal more and more.

"You've completely gone mental, all of you!" Shacklebolt interrupted them.

This was happening much too fast for him. They just couldn't plan a prison break in passing, even more when he thought about the explosive nature of the game.

"If only one single person gets wind of what is going on…" he continued a little calmer, "Can you imagine how this would end? For everybody else this man is still LORD VOLDEMORT!"

The others looked at each other a little awkwardly while they slowly came down to earth again. They realized the illegality of their plan.

"And precisely because we know that he isn't Voldemort anymore we have to get him out of harm's way before anyone finds out about him", Harry finally put their thoughts in a nutshell.

Snape nodded before he said calmly: "Tomorrow is Friday."


	31. Friends

Not long after dawn a loud splash announced mail for the Weasleys. Ron opened the window to let the trundling owl in that had hit the window pane seconds ago. While Ginny took care for the disoriented bird Ron fished a letter out of the bushes outside the window.

"Hey, it's from Harry!" he rejoiced after he had finally been able to read the sender's address, "He writes it's only for you and me in person, Hermione!"

Hermione took the letter from Ron's hand wondering. On the envelope really was written that only she and Ron were allowed to read it. It seemed quite peculiar to her, because Harry normally wasn't so secretive. It was obviously important.

"Come", she said and hurried up the stairs to the room where she lived with Ron. He immediately came running after her.

After they had finally shown their true feelings for each other in the chamber of secrets a few weeks ago they were nearly inseparable.

"Show me!" Ron demanded while he sat down on the bed next to Hermione where he laid an arm around her shoulders and curiously looked what Harry had written.

Hey folks,

Sorry for not writing to you for a while, but there were so many things going on here that I just couldn't find the time. I found out something very interesting but I better don't write about it in a letter. I invite you to my house at Grimauld Place tonight and would be very happy if you were able to come. We have to talk about something very important. I'll tell Kreacher to cook something delicious.

Bye for now

Harry

PS: Ron, where do you always find those disastrous owls!

Hermione and Ron looked at each other thoughtfully. If Harry was so secretive and wanted to talk to them alone, there must have happened something terrible. They had already been concerned about him when he had left for London with his aching scar, but now they were almost scared.

"Because that stupid bird had taken so much time to come here, there's nothing else to do than being on our way immediately before the night is over!" Ron grumbled.

Hermione was alarmed by all means because of Harry's letter. That's why she jumped up excitedly to run down the stairs in a hurry followed by Ron. They told the others not to wait for them for dinner and apparated to London.

"Does anybody know what this was all about?" Ginny asked the others but their only reply was a shrug. They only knew that it was something about Harry, something of a very explosive nature.

XXXX

In all the houses at Grimauld Place people had dinner, watched TV or read the paper. Nobody noticed the witch and the wizard who appeared out of the blue on the street and looked around unsurely.

"Where will we actually find the entrance?" Ron asked helplessly turning around.

Hermione looked up and down the street thoughtfully until she finally got a clue.

"It's number twelve! Come on!" she said in relief.

She pulled Ron's sleeve so he could only stumble down the street behind her. Right at the spot between number 10 and 14 she breathlessly stood still and raised her wand. Suddenly a door appeared between the houses quickly followed by the rest of Number 12. The muggles in the other houses didn't even notice the change, but Ron had always suspected that the muggles never saw anything.

First Hermione knocked very cautiously but after nothing had happened she tried a little louder. After a while Harry finally opened the door and gleamed at his friends.

"Hey, I'm so glad you could come!" he shouted joyfully, "Come in!"

They followed him into the kitchen from where they could already hear Kreacher's busy activities. He always tended to talk to himself.

"It's the loneliness", Harry apologized for the quirky elf. "Besides him nobody lives here anymore."

He offered his friends a seat, took the plates out of Kreacher's hands, kicked the elf out of the kitchen and sat down at the table.

"Why do you kick him out?" Ron asked a little surprised while he watched the elf slamming the door

"Because I don't want to tell him at the moment what I'm going to tell you now", Harry explained keeping his aura of secretiveness alive.

This behavior made his friends even more curious, so they looked at him eagerly.

Harry had actually made a plan how to tell his friends about the new situation. For a while he had struggled with the question if it was really wise to let them know, but he definitely knew that he would never be able to face the rescue of Voldemort and all the consequences alone.

Even though he was well prepared for this conversation he did not really find the right words to begin.

"You surely ask yourself why I wanted you to come here tonight", he started.

Ron and Hermione only nodded but didn't say a word.

"I've found out why my scar was aching", Harry continued cautiously, "And I know who has sent me that vision."

"I'm not sure if I really want to know it", Ron said uncomfortably.

It had never meant something good when it was about Harry's scar and visions. Hermione just pushed him with her elbow because she didn't want to disturb Harry's explanations.

"What happened, Harry?" she asked almost scared, "Please tell us without beating around the bush."

Harry sighed and knew that he had to finish what he had started.

"I've met that auror", he reported, "Shannon McAlister. And surprisingly I've met Severus again. Kingsley told me a really unbelievable story in the ministry. I didn't believe him at first, but then he took me to his high-security prison, so I could not hide from the truth any longer."

"And what actually is the truth?" Ron asked shivering.

"The truth is, that a part of Voldemort has survived", Harry finally let the cat out of the bag.

"WHAT!" Hermione screamed in pure terror while Rom only looked at him full of fear.

"Don't panic!" Harry reassured his friends, "There's not much of him left. It's very complicated but I will explain it to you. Please listen to me. We will discuss it after I've told you everything…"

Ron and Hermione agreed and prompted Harry to continue. With growing fascination they listened to what Harry had found out about his archenemy. It sounded more than peculiar, but if even somebody like Snape or that experienced auror were positive about the truth of this issue it couldn't be totally wrong.

"So it isn't Voldemort anymore, but somehow he still is?" Ron concluded his confusion after Harry had finished his extensive report.

"In this body there's not even a tiny bit of evil, megalomania or hatred, that's for sure", Harry assured.

Hermione's thoughts had already gone one step further.

"And what are you going to do with him now?" she wanted to know, "The minister surely wants to put him to trial, doesn't he?"

Harry shook his head. "No, he's convinced of his innocence as well."

"So you want to leave him to rot in that clink?" Ron asked and somehow liked his idea – actually they still were talking about the Dark Lord!

"We will free him tomorrow afternoon during the prison staff's jour-fix", he finally revealed the plot.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other terrified, than Hermione's brain continued to work.

"You want to help Voldemort to escape from the prison, am I right?" she asked severely and with lots of disbelieve for such an outrageous intention.

Harry nodded and rubbed his nose stressfully. He had been sure of the fact that his friends would react in exactly this way.

Hermione leaned back and caught her breath. She had expected many things but this exceeded her imagination by far. She believed every word Harry said, there was no need in doubting. But the only thought of seeing the Dark Lord again, no matter what had happened to him, worried her by all means. The fact that Harry wanted to help him to escape almost panicked her.

"But what are you going to do with him then?" Ron wanted to know after he had recovered a little from the shock.

"Well, for the time being I will provide this house for him", Harry explained thoughtfully, "Nobody ever comes here since the order does no longer exist. So no one will ever find him. Of course we have to deal with Kreacher before. Then we have to gather and find an exile for Voldemort where he can live at peace. To leave him in London permanently is far too dangerous. There may be only a few people who know about his existence but you know what happens when there's a rumor in the world…"

"And how do you imagine that prison break?" Hermione wanted to know because she was finally interested in the whole issue, "You mentioned the prison can only be entered and left by a portkey deep inside of the ministry which means he will have to make his way through the ministry including the atrium. You're sure you want to do this on a Friday afternoon?"

Harry leaned back at his chair and sighed. He really could understand Hermione's doubts because he didn't feel different. Even with the cloak of invisibility it would be more than difficult to leave the ministry.

"I know it's really ambitious", he admitted, "But this point of time is the only possibility, because then all the people who know about Voldemort will be gathering in the same room. After Shannon cast the Obliviate on all of them nobody except Kingsley, Shannon, Severus, the both of you and me will know that he's still alive."

"Woah, thanks for trusting us, Harry", Ron said and still couldn't believe what he heard.

"My friends, I really need you!" Harry called on his friends and sounded so pleadingly that Hermione wasn't able to decline anymore. She knew that Ron would also participate because he had sworn to never leave her alone again since they had been apart for so many months while they had been hunting for horcruxes. And of course he would not let down his best friend Harry!

"You're definitely and completely mental, Harry", Hermione said sardonically, "But I trust you. We will help you to free Voldemort from this prison. Then we surely come up with an idea. At least we've always found a way when we needed to."

Harry was so overwhelmed by her decision that he stood up spontaneously to embrace his friends.

"Thanks, folks, you're definitely the best friends one can have!" he enforced his embrace with words.

Ron patted Harry's shoulder in a friendly way and grinned. "I suppose Snape, Kingsley and that woman already have a fail-safe plan, right?"

"Well, not really fail-safe", Harry admitted, "But we will meet up here tomorrow morning and figure out a plan how to go ahead to ensure nothing goes wrong. If only one single person realizes that we're helping Voldemort to escape all hell will be breaking lose."

"I'm sure of that", Ron murmured, he already saw himself with one foot in Azkaban.

Harry turned around to clear away the plates with the meanwhile cold food.

"Kreacher surely will warm this again, right?" Ron asked hopefully, but Harry replied with a pitiful grin.

"He's in a very bad mood today. Believe me, you don't want to provoke him today", Harry destroyed all of Ron's hopes.

"Hey, your mum surely has put something aside for us", Hermione comforted her friend, but in the wink of her eye she saw Harry heavily shaking his head.

"You should stay here for the night", he asked, "Please."

Hermione understood what Harry wanted to say and nodded. "OK, Harry. I think the bedrooms still are where we have left them, aren't they?"

Ron didn't really understand what this was all about but accepted his fate for the moment. He was sure of the fact that tomorrow was going to be one of the most interesting days for weeks.

After they had tidied up the kitchen Ron and Hermione went to one of the bedrooms while Harry was sitting in Sirius' old room in an armchair. He wondered about what his godfather would have said about his plans, but he was sure to have known him well enough to assume that he would have helped them. Harry was glad to have told his friends about everything. He knew that he wouldn't be able to count on Kingsley anymore after they had left the ministry and something told him that Shannon and Severus had their own plans as well. Being alone with Voldemort… He would probably not stand more than three days. But with Ron and Hermione at his side he had already survived worse situations. He closed his eyes in peace and fell asleep immediately in Sirius' old armchair.


	32. Remorses

Remorses

When they headed towards the ministry the next day they really had a plan. Kingsley would take care that nobody entered the department of mysteries this afternoon, Harry and Severus would pick Voldemort up and Shannon would participate in the jour-fix to cast the Obliviate when it was time for it. Hermione would be the one who had to make the house elves forget and Ron finally would have to wait in Goodsons office to take care that they could use the portkey without getting in trouble. Then they had to bring Voldemort out of the ministry which was a problem of its own, but they decided to face it after they had left the prison.

Hermione felt mixed emotions about the whole issue. To help a prisoner to escape from jail was one of those things she didn't want to support at all, even more as the prisoner was Voldemort. She struggled with her conscience gravely. But if Harry was right – and she was sure of that – it was all about saving an innocent man from a gruesome fate, wasn't it? Maybe this time the end justified the means. She only had to tell it to herself again and again to make herself believe it.

She envied Ron a little who was showing some kind of careless recklessness about the issue, because he seemed to be sure of Harry always knowing what to do. But in Hermione's head the thoughts didn't want to stop running wild. It was one aspect that they had to free Voldemort, but there was another aspect of where they should bring him to where he could live in peace without having to fear the mass's thirst for revenge. She wondered about the possibility that Harry took it all much too easy, but after all he had always finished what he had started.

Furthermore she was wondering about Severus Snape of whom she never would have guessed that he would help freeing Voldemort voluntarily, no matter what state he was in. Something grave must have happened to make him forget all his doubts about what they were going to do. Hermione supposed that it was Shannon McAlisters's influence on the potions master.

While Hermione still was contemplating they finally arrived at the ministry where they had to go separate ways.

"OK, you know what you have to do. I will go to the prison immediately. I think it will take some time to inform Voldemort and to convince him that our intentions are inevitable", Harry said severely. Nobody envied him this task.

Harry stored his cloak of invisibility under his jacket and headed straight to Slytherin's old desk. He was very curious about Voldemort's reaction on their plans. Unfortunately he wasn't able to estimate his reaction because he didn't know him well enough.

The young man felt relieved when he arrived at the office and didn't find Goodson there. He definitely wasn't in the mood for meeting that man again. He hurried down the countless stairs to the dungeons where he had to catch his breath first before he explained the guards that he had to interrogate the prisoner once more. They reversed the protection enchantments and Harry entered the cell which was in a far better condition than the last time.

Voldemort sat on his plank bed and devoured something from a plate in his hand. Goodson seemed to finally have taken care that the prisoner regularly got some food.

"Hello Tom", Harry greeted almost happily and remained at the door.

Voldemort looked at him, nodded friendly and finished his meal with relish. Harry didn't want to disturb him, so he waited.

"Harry", he finally replied, "Please, excuse me. I don't often get something to eat here."

"I know", Harry said and sat down at the opposite end of the bed.

Voldemort looked at him interestedly because he noticed that the young man wasn't only here to speak to him.

Because he was much too excited to be patient anymore Harry decided to let the cat out of the bag.

"Listen Tom, we will bring you out of this clink this afternoon", he revealed his intentions conspiratorially.

Voldemort looked at Harry with a mix of surprise and fear. What the hell was going on this time?

"Where are you going to bring me to? Another jail?" he asked suspiciously.

Harry shook his head. "No. no more jail. My friends and I made an agreement to not allow the wizgamot to sentence you, because we're confident of your innocence. We are going to free you."

The former Dark Lord didn't quite know what to think about this issue. In the last weeks no one ever had left a doubt that at the end of his long walk through hell there was waiting death penalty for him. He was somehow sympathetic with it because he was sure about the fact that he would have wanted to kill the monster he was reading about in the papers each day as well. But his survival instinct kept on screaming at him to avoid this fate by all means. Actually he had already given up all hope for himself – until Harry had come to show him who he really was – who he had been and who he was now.

"And what should I do with this freedom? There's no place where I can go", Voldemort pointed out sadly.

Harry had expected this question. "For the time being you can live in my house. We will surely come up with an idea soon. Just leave it with us."

Voldemort was more than wary. A part of him was looking forward to the promised freedom, but the other part was scared like hell. He decided not to think about that problem until he really had to face it. He knew that this was his only chance to change everything and he didn't want to miss it.

"Are you even allowed to do this? To free me, I mean?" he wanted to know anyway because he was sure of the fact that Harry's intentions weren't legal at all.

"It's complicated", Harry replied vaguely, but Voldemort understood.

"So this is a jailbreak? How should this work?" Voldemork sighed surrendering and didn't quite know if he should rather be happy or afraid.

Harry thoughtfully looked at Voldemort for a while. He could feel his struggling. Because he seemed to have lost his unscrupulousness along with all the other negative features Harry had expected that Voldemort would be struggling gravely with his newly acquired conscience. The young man gave him the time he needed to decide.

"I've got a cloak of invisibility", he revealed conspiratorially which made the former Dark Lord frown.

But he didn't say a word, so Harry continued: "I will hide you under it, so Severus and I can bring you out of here totally unseen."

"Severus? Severus Snape?" Voldemort asked terrified.

He almost got a panic attack just because of hearing this name. Harry was uncertain if it had really been a good idea to bring Severus along. Voldemort and the former teacher were known to have had a real bad start. But it was too late to change their plans. They had to go ahead.

"He won't harm you, Tom. Don't worry", Harry reassured the shocked man who had wrapped himself up in his robes in search for shelter. Obviously he didn't quite believe him.

After he had calmed down fairly Voldemort decided to live through it. No place in the world would be worse than this prison. Everything that Harry was able to offer him would bring a significant advance.

"What about the guards? Besides they will surely miss me when I'll be gone for good", Voldemort tossed in cautiously.

"Obliviate", Harry said calmly and smirked.

Voldemort was slightly shocked because of the young man's audacity. These people were definitely going to break more than one law to free him. He didn't quite understand why he suddenly was so important to them after they had tormented him for so many weeks. Harry Potter seemed to have grave influence on these people.

"I don't deserve that you put yourself in danger because of me. If anybody ever finds out about what is happening here you will be imprisoned immediately and I don't want you to live in a clink like this", Voldemort tried to change Harry's mind because he didn't want him to risk so much for him.

"Don't talk rubbish, Tom", Harry replied, "Every innocent person deserves to live in freedom and this is exactly what you are going to do."

Harry made a note to himself that Voldemort had really developed a conscience after all. Now he felt qualms and understood that crime had to be punished. This fact convinced Harry even more of his opinion that it was the only real deal to prevent Voldemort from death penalty.

"So what do you say?" he asked after Voldemort had remained silent in grave contemplation for a while.

He looked at him thoughtfully with his remarkable blue eyes as if he was waiting for being told that all he had heard was just a joke.

"But there are so many guards in this prison! If anybody recognizes…" he gave utterance to his concerns but Harry patted his back soothingly.

"We will deal with them. Just leave it to us and trust me", Harry prompted him.

Trust. Trust was something Voldemort really had problems with. A part of him knew that it had never been his strong point. He supposed that a life with consistent paranoia actually had left its traces inside of him. Harry seemed to be trustworthy but he didn't know how to handle Snape. Besides he had no clue about the others Harry had brought with him to help. He did feel anything but well about giving himself into other people's hands. But he also knew that trusting Harry was his only road to freedom.

Harry realized that Voldemort generally agreed after all. He was glad about not having to persuade him too much. The fear of the fate that was awaiting him here had finally defeated the doubts about the jailbreak. He just wanted to say some calming words to Voldemort when suddenly Snape entered the cell.

He looked at Harry and then suspiciously at Voldemort who seemed to shrink a bit because of the way Snape looked at him.

After all he had learned to know about Voldemort Snape had finally come to the conclusion to see the former Dark Lord in a different light. He would surely never call him a friend, but he knew that it was wrong to leave him here.

"It's about time", Severus stated, "Shannon takes care that everybody participates that meeting right away. Hermione organizes the rest. I've already made the guards in front of this cell forget that they have to be here, so they're on their way to the conference room as well. We don't have much time."

Harry looked at Voldemort and hoped with all his heart that he didn't change his mind. When he slightly nodded the young wizard got the cloak of invisibility out. Voldemort stood up carefully because he still was very weak. Harry already was afraid that he would not be able to walk but then the former Dark Lord succeeded in standing upright. He adjusted his robes and for a moment he looked like his former self again. Harry took his cloak of invisibility and threw it viciously over Voldemort's shoulders who pulled it over his head and finally vanished. Harry felt relieved when he saw that the cloak was long enough to cover this tall man.

"I actually find this cloak quite disconcerting" Snape admitted and grabbed Voldemort's arm, "That's why I have to clutch you."

Voldemort comprehended that Snape didn't trust him. He probably wouldn't have trusted himself as well, even more in conjunction with this cloak which he would have been able to steal and run away. He promised himself to prove that he deserved Harry's and Severus' trust.

Harry stepped through the door and looked around. The guards were gone and there was nobody else down here because nobody ever found their way to the dungeons. Only those who had to work with that special prisoner ever came here. And soon there won't be anybody who remembered about the cell's and its inmate's existence anymore. Harry told the others that the coast was clear, so they left the cell as well. Voldemort winced when he heard the slam from the door. This was the first time he totally realized what he was about to do. He began to shiver slightly because of the adrenaline.

"All is quiet. Let's go!" Harry stated in relief and began to hurry up the stairs.

Snape pushed Voldemort so harshly that he almost stumbled more than once. He hoped with all his heart to give his former tormentor no reason to be annoyed about him again.

They didn't meet anyone on their way upstairs, so they finally reached the main corridor. From a room somewhere down the corridor they could hear a busy mutter of voices. It seemed to be the conference room where the whole prison staff had to go to now. Quietly they sneaked along the wall not making the slightest noise. Nobody needed to see them and ask inconvenient questions.

The three escapees stopped dead in their tracks when suddenly Harlan Goodson crossed their path. He had come right out of his office where he had fetched a thick document file. He seemed to be in a big hurry and sweated so much that there were some spots of sweat everywhere on his shirt. Harry found him more than disgusting.

"Ah, perfect! Do you take part in our meeting, right?" Goodson asked a little distracted and showed the friendliest version of his rat smile but didn't even look at Harry and Severus.

"Er, yeah, soon", Harry murmured, "We just have to take care of something, but we'll be right back."

Goodson nodded at them as friendly as possible and was on his way again. It took a load off Harry's heart to see the governor enter the conference room. Severus caught his breath and for the first time he was glad about Harry's cloak of invisibility. He grabbed Voldemort's arm again and pushed him towards Goodson's office.

Ron was slouching on Goodson's chair and had a big grin on his face. He frowned because he was a little confused. He had expected three persons, but then the cloak of invisibility and of course the man under it came to his mind again.

"What the heck did you tell Goodson that made him leave his office?" Harry wanted to know curiously.

"I told him I wanted to submit my application for a job here. He wanted to interview me right away 'til Shannon reminded him of the jour-fix", Ron explained excitedly.

Harry wasn't really happy about that story which made Ron defending himself a little offended: "In a few minutes he won't know that I was even here!"

Well, one point for Ron.

Sometimes Severus asked himself how this bunch of weirdos had ever been able to find and destroy six horcruxes. He supposed that Hermione Granger had been totally indispensable to help those guys out.

"We'd better hurry", Severus reminded them of their small timeframe.

"I'll stay to wait for Hermione and Shannon", Ron stated, "They have to leave as soon as possible after casting the Obliviate. So they will need me to clear the way. Ah, there's something else…"

Harry and Severus looked puzzled at Ron who heaved a big leather-bound book on the desk which had been lying on a shelf.

"What is it?" Harry wondered.

"They keep a record of their inmates", Ron explained, "I checked it and must say that we're damn lucky – he's not on the list!"

"Because nobody should know about him", Severus supposed.

"All the better!" Harry said, "And now let's get the hell out of here!"

Ron really would have liked to look at the man they hid under Harry's cloak but accepted that there was no time for it. In Harry's house he would surely have enough time to see Voldemort, he thought by himself. He was sure of the interesting times they would have to go through soon.

Yet again he got a little chance to see a part of the former Dark Lord. Voldemort had to slide his hand out of the cloak to touch the portkey at the same time with Harry and Severus.

Unfortunately the hand still looked like he remembered it: Delicate white fingers with long nails. Ron gulped nervously and hoped that the rest of Voldemort wouldn't look the same.


	33. Escape

Escape

A few seconds later the portkey had transported the three men to the secret room in the department of mysteries. Voldemort looked around curiously and somehow suspected that he had seen this special oak desk before. It was just another frustrating haze of the shades of his memories.

Severus preceded and looked down the corridor in front of the small door carefully.

"Kingsley's done well", he stated, "The corridor seems to be totally deserted."

"I don't even want to know what he had told the guys who are normally working here", Harry said in admiration for the minister.

Severus clutched Voldemort's arm again without saying anything else and wanted to push him through the door, but Harry held him back. He didn't like the way his former teacher treated Voldemort and furthermore he seemed to have forgotten something.

"Just wait a moment, Severus!" he said impatiently, "Shouldn't we wait for the others?"

"Harry, we have no more time to lose. I want to finish this as soon as possible. The sooner we leave this place the better." Severus said icily and turned back to the fugitive prisoner.

Since he had left the cell Voldemort hadn't said one single word. At the time being he just didn't know what to feel. On one hand he was totally looking forward to being free soon, on the other hand there was pure panic about what would happen if somebody caught them before they could leave the ministry. He tolerated Snape's unfriendly behavior silently. He promised himself to bear everything that helped to bring him out of here.

Harry pushed Severus aside and peered down the corridor, then he pointed Voldemort and the potions master to follow him and stepped through the door. Severus entered the corridor right behind him, but as soon as Voldemort left the room the three fugitives almost died from fear.

A loud and very inconvenient sound replaced the silence without any warning. Harry and Severus backed off immediately and pushed Voldemort back into the room where he tried to find his balance back while the cloak of invisibility slid from his shoulders.

"What the hell was that?" he asked totally surprised.

"Dammit!" Severus snorted, "Bloody hell! This just can't be true!"

"What is it?" Harry asked and felt very uncomfortable.

"It's an alert system", Severus replied, "The ministry keeps a list of the most wanted criminals which is connected to the protection enchantments. As soon as one of the listed persons enters the ministry the alarm is activated."

He pushed a wisp of hair from his face and started contemplating intensely.

"None of us should be on this list," Harry said uncertainly, "This must be an error!"

"No! He's on that list!" Severus growled and pointed at Voldemort who was looking totally confused.

"I'm dead!" the Dark Lord indicated.

"He's right! Why is he still on the list?" Harry wanted to know. The whole issue was more than peculiar.

"I suppose somebody just forgot to erase his name due to all that chaos of the last weeks", Severus said thoughtfully.

"And what are we going to do now?" Voldemort wanted to know.

He already saw himself sitting in his cold and damp clink again, but without the comfort Harry had given him in the last days, because he would have to be in a clink like his as well.

"First we have to leave this room as soon as possible. In a few minutes there will be aurors everywhere looking for the reason of the alert and I'm sure that this room will be the first on their list", Severus explained and peered down the corridor through the door he had left ajar, "They're already on their way, I can hear their voices!"

Harry, Severus and Voldemort looked at each other in panic before the potions master clutched both of his companions vigorously and pushed them out of the room. Then they ran as if the devil himself was chasing them into the direction Severus had chosen. They followed a long and winding corridor which led deeper into the department of mysteries. It was their only chance to diverge from the aurors. After they had turned around another corner they stopped to catch their breath.

"They will follow us, won't they?" Volemort asked fatalistically.

Severus nodded. "They will search each and every room thoroughly. When this special alert is given every available auror will come to the ministry. We have nowhere to hide, they will leave no stone unturned. They will block every corridor and close all the entrances. We're trapped."

"We could have used the portkey to return to the prison and hide there", Harry pondered, but Severus shook his head severely.

"Believe me, they will surely search there as well", he destroyed the young man's suggestion, "I only hope that Hermione and Shannon were able to apply the Obliviate before the aurors arrive there."

Severus' voice had become quieter and more sorrowful with each word.

"That means there is no way out of here", Harry sighed. By now he already had wanted to have returned to his house again.

Severus stared angrily at Voldemort who was looking very anxiously. The former Dark Lord already had a clue of what was coming next. Severus approved this suspicion.

"Why am I risking my skin for you, Voldemort? I should leave you to the aurors and just walk away!" Severus spit at him and gave him a look that scared the hell out of him.

"Severus, it will lead us nowhere to start arguing now", Harry tried to calm his friend down before he did something dumb. They had far more important problems and just weren't able to change the circumstances.

Far behind they could hear the aurors casting curses. They were quite close already and the corridor would end very soon. The fugitives went deeper and deeper into the department of mysteries until they finally reached the end of the corridor and arrived at a door which could easily be opened with an Alohomora.

Severus pushed his companions into the room hastily, slammed the door and leaned at it trying to catch his breath.

"You know that we can't stay here? They will find us!" Harry whispered anxiously and turned around to look into the room. He cringed when he realized what they had actually found.

"I've been here before!" he shouted.

Some deeply suppressed and painful memories found their way back into Harry's mind - memories of a fierce fight between the members of the order and the Death Eaters. The most painful memory was the one of Sirius Black who had died in this chamber. On a socket In the middle of the room was standing a high portal. If somebody followed the whispers behind the veil he would die immediately. There was no way back once the door was darkened.

"The chamber of death", Voldemort murmured while every little bit of him wanted to be somewhere else.

Severus pushed a hand through his hair nervously and contemplated intensely. He was looking for a way out. They needed to leave this room as soon as possible. The aurors would arrive in a few minutes and there was nowhere left to turn. No matter which corridor they chose, they would be found sooner or later.

Harry opened the door a little to find out how much time the aurors would need to arrive here. At the same moment Severus finally had an idea.

"There's a way", he said quietly, "But I'm sure you won't like it…"

Voldemort and Harry immediately gave their attention to Severus while they heard the aurors coming closer and closer. It was now or never.

"Each of us has been dead before, we all have crossed that line at least once, haven't we?" Severus asked. He was speaking fast and vigorously.

The others nodded while the noises were coming closer.

"We can enter the portal using a special spell", the Severus put his idea into words which made the others look at him in fear.

"But we will die when we enter the portal", Harry reminded and didn't know what to fear the most – Severus' intense look or the aurors outside the door.

"Not if you already have experienced death", Severus grumbled and raised his wand.

Harry and Voldemort looked at the potions master with a mix of fear and helplessness. Outside they could hear the auror's steps and voices.

"In case we really do this", Voldemort said calmly, "How will we be able to leave again?"

"We can stay there for a while, but then we have to find a way", Severus replied. He kept secret that he didn't have a clue about that way, but it wasn't the right time for discussions. Either they dared to cross the line or they left themselves to the aurors.

"So?" he asked, "They're here any minute now!"

Harry and Voldemort nodded almost simultaneously, because they both realized that there was no other way to escape from the aurors and the problems they would bring with them.

Severus laid an arm around Severus' shoulders and pointed Voldemort to do the same. He did it immediately because the aurors outside had almost reached the door.

Holding close to each other they moved to the portal while Severus spoke his spell clearly: Protego Mortem!

From the tip of his wand a shimmering silvery thread began to weave around their bodies. Then Severus pushed Voldemort and Harry behind the veil.

Just a moment later the door was pushed open and almost a dozen of aurors came running into the room. They had been sure to find somebody here, now they were confused by the empty room. They searched the chamber thoroughly but none of them would ever have thought that somebody would escape through the portal.


	34. Mysterious incidents

Mysterious incidents

Shannon McAlister had almost lost all hope that the meeting would be starting finally. The whole prison seemed to be an organizational nightmare. With more than half an hour delay finally everybody was there, so Goodson was able to begin. Shannon leaned back at the wall at ease and watched the scenery. The last one they were waiting for just entered the room and closed the door behind him. Shannon took her wand out of her robes.

Fortunately they had all turned their back on her, so she had only to wait until the governor wasn't looking in her direction anymore.

Then she raised her wand and murmured "Obliviate!"

She added a few other spells that made them just forget a few special things, so somebody who didn't know about Voldemort wouldn't notice the difference.

She was already on her way to leave the room when she suddenly heard several voices talking across each other outside the room. She felt some slight panic creeping down her spine. They had planned everything so thoroughly – it was impossible that they had forgotten somebody. She opened the door and entered the corridor where she saw a bunch of men walking out of Goodson's office. She knew them – they were aurors, her colleagues from the ministry. Shannon felt very uncomfortable. She was afraid that they had found out about what she and the others had done. She pulled herself together and walked up to the other aurors.

"What's going on?" she asked in her usual professional voice.

"The special alert was given in the ministry. One of the most wanted criminals seems to be walking around there. We've come here to find out if one of the prisoners is missing", Dagworth Fellowes explained.

She knew him good since she had chased down many Death Eaters with him.

"I can barely imagine this", she reassured her colleague. "We should fetch the register and look if they're all where they belong."

Shannon was glad that Voldemort wasn't listed on this register. If she was lucky and the Obliviate had really worked nobody would miss him.

At last even Harlan Goodson had recognized the noise on the corridors and left the conference room.

"What's going on here? What are you looking for?" he asked Fellowes angrily.

"We're looking for somebody", he just said and scrutinized him thoroughly. Somehow he reminded him of someone.

"If somebody was missing, I would surely know!" the governor said agitatedly.

"No", the auror said patiently, "We're not only looking for somebody who might have left the prison but for somebody who may have escaped from the ministry to hide himself somewhere in here."

"Nobody can enter or leave the prison", Shannon mentioned.

"We should search the cells and the other rooms anyway", Fellowes demanded.

"I will help you", she finally gave in to her fate.

She was an auror, this was her job after all. She hoped with all her heart that really none of the people around would remember Voldemort.

While Fellowes began to divide the present people into teams, Ron and Hermione caught up with Shannon and looked at her in fear. She shook her head slightly to tell them that the aurors hadn't come here because of Voldemort.

"So what the hell is going on here?" Ron asked.

Shannon pushed them both into a more silent corner to inform them.

"Inside the ministry a special alert system reacted on somebody who's on top of every wanted list. I don't know what has happened, but I'm afraid that Harry and Severus are in trouble. I have to put a good face on the matter and help them to search for… somebody who isn't here. The turmoil here is a good sign that they haven't found our fugitives yet. The both of you should return to the ministry and get away as soon as possible."

"But what about the others?" Ron asked anxiously.

"They have to find a way on their own", Shannon whispered, "I'm not able to do anything now, but I'm sure they'll make a plan. Go now!"

Hermione nodded and pushed Ron towards the governor's office. As long as Goodson was dealing with the aurors they had a good chance to leave the prison without being noticed.

With a great lack of enthusiasm Shannon began to search cell by cell with the other aurors. Of course it was a waste of time, but if she had said something, they might have asked inconvenient questions that she didn't want to answer. She had a clue why the alert had been given. Maybe somebody had forgotten to delete Voldemort from the list.

As they had finished searching the first few corridors a young auror came running up to Shannon and Fellowes trying to catch his breath. Obviously he had discovered something.

"Mr Fellowes! Down in the dungeons we have found an unguarded empty cell!" he said excitedly.

Shannon's heart suddenly began to beat so fast and loud that she was sure everybody heard it.

"Where's the prison governor?" Fellowes asked harshly.

At the same moment Goodson came running around the corner sweating and breathing heavily. The auror took the chance to ask him about that cell.

"Down there? We have never imprisoned somebody in that clink. It's cold and damp! It would be an imposition!" Goodson explained.

A heavy load fell from Shannon's heart – her spells worked perfectly!

Subsequently they searched the prison cells for about another hour without any success, that's why they finally decided to return to the ministry. Shannon hoped that Harry, Severus and Voldemort as well as Ron and Hermione had found a way to leave the ministry. Above all she was worried about Severus.

Back at the department of mysteries Kingsley Shacklebolt was already waiting for them. He had been informed about the whole issue immediately. Shannon realized that he was just like her dying a thousand deaths at the moment. Why the hell had they forgotten that damn alert?

The minister gathered the aurors around him and demanded a detailed report. The head of the department of magical law enforcement resumed what had happened since the alert had been given.

"We were able to follow some persons but we couldn't see who they were – they had been very fast. We followed them to the death chamber. Since then they're missing", he concluded his report.

Shacklebolt and Shannon looked at each other in fear. They were sure about the fact that the mentioned persons were their friends, but how had they been able to flee out of the death chamber? That didn't make sense at all!


	35. Behind the veil

Behind the veil

Two hours later Shannon finally had a chance to leave the ministry. She went straight to the house at Grimauld Place where Ron and Hermione were waiting for her. In their eyes she could see their sorrow.

"The others didn't show up here", Hermione said sadly and hoped for the auror bringing some good news.

"They didn't find anyone in the ministry", Shannon reported tiredly, "But there has happened something very peculiar…"

Ron and Hermione looked at her curiously but didn't say a word. So she explained: "Some of the aurors reported that they had been following a few persons, but they didn't know how many they actually were, because they were too fast. They were able to follow them to the death chamber. Since then they're lost without a trace. Nobody can explain it."

"I remember the chamber", Hermione pondered, "It has only one entrance."

"That's right!" Shannon replied, "Either you leave through the door or through the portal."

"But… that would be suicide!" Ron said full of fear.

"Exactly. That's why nobody would ever try to escape through the portal", Shannon determined.

"But where have they gone?" Hermione asked still pondering.

They spent some time puzzling over the issue but didn't come to a result. The only thing they surely knew was that their friends had somehow managed to escape from the aurors. Everything else remained in the dark

Later in the evening Shannon rubbed her temple and yawned.

"I think I should go and try to get some sleep now. I'm tired like hell", she said.

Ron and Hermione felt the same, that's why they all said goodbye for the night. The friends had decided to stay in Harry's house until they had found the others. It was no good idea to return to Shell Cottage where everybody would immediately want to know what was going on.

Hermione was angry about herself. If she had only stayed with Harry and the others, she would probably have got a good idea to help them. To cast the Obliviate on the elves had been a task that had been done in a few minutes. She just had locked up the whole bunch in the kitchen, cast the spell and left them alone. Now her best friend was missing and she didn't have the slightest clue where to find him.

Shannon lay awake for many hours just staring at the ceiling. She painfully missed Severus. He had only been in her life for a few days and she did barely know him, but she knew that she wanted to spend much more time with him. And now he was lost and she didn't know if she would ever see him again. Her thoughts were circling around the death chamber. The whole issue didn't make sense at all. Wherever Severus had gone – she had to find him.

Ron finally wasn't able to sleep as well. He kept wondering if Voldemort was really worth the difficulties Harry was now in. He should have dissuaded him from doing this.

Xxx

It was a beautiful and peaceful place. There was an ancient tree with a huge treetop standing on a hill. Severus leaned against the trunk with closed eyes and deep in thoughts. Harry did the same. Only Voldemort was pacing up and down and looked very upset.

"What exactly has happened to us?" he finally asked Severus who looked back at him in a mostly unhappy way.

"We're in some kind of corridor that leads from life to death", he explained.

"So we're neither dead nor alive", Harry determined, "And how can we go back?"

"I'm not quite sure", Severus admitted morosely.

It was written all over Voldemort's face that he just couldn't stand what was happening to him. Of course death had been waiting on him in the prison as well, but not so fast!

"You're not sure?" Harry asked horrified, "You push as through that portal while you don't have a clue how to get us out of there?"

He could read in Voldemort's eyes that he was thinking exactly same. So much about trust. It only gets one into trouble.

"We needed to solve this problem quickly, didn't we?" Severus justified himself.

Harry snorted angrily. "Yeah, we wanted to get out of that chamber, but we didn't want TO DIE! The aurors might have asked us inconvenient questions, but they wouldn't have killed us!"

Harry was so angry that he could hardly find a way to express it or even calm down.

"How long can we actually stay in this… corridor before we have to decide for one direction?" Voldemort asked. He finally started to think again.

"Maybe a few days, maybe less", Severus replied vaguely which didn't make his companions feel better.

"A few?" Harry wanted to know, "How many are 'a few'?"

"It may last five days, but maybe we will have to face the problem tomorrow. I don't know", Severus admitted. He slowly lost his rationality to his despair.

"Severus", Harry began after he had recovered a little, "I thought you know that spell. In the book where it's from there must have been some instructions!"

Severus killed Harry's hopes with one single sentence: "There was no book. I've learned that spell from him!" he explained and looked at Voldemort, "He told us about it for the case we may be confronted with the portal. But he never told us what to do after stepping behind the veil."

Voldemort was totally shocked by these words. Again he hated himself for not being able to remember anything of his former life. He was sure to have known the key to this problem once. But it was another life he couldn't access anymore.

For several minutes they were contemplating gravely, the silence was hard to bear.

"We could try something", Severus finally suggested, "But I can't make promises."


	36. Helplessness

Shannon had barely slept that night. In the early morning she sat in the kitchen looking totally overtired and drank her third cup of coffee. She had to face another day at the ministry where she would have to help the aurors to disclose the secret about the fugitives in the death chamber. She was glad about the fact that until now nobody suspected her being part of the game.

"Good morning", Hermione mumbled dozily and looked into the coffeepot to find out if Shannon had left a little of the black gold for her. She was lucky and poured the coffee in a big mug.

Ron had entered the kitchen right behind her and sat down at the table.

"What are we going to do now?" he asked sorrowfully.

The women looked at him sadly but didn't say a word. Hermione only shrugged.

"I'll go back to the ministry to examine the death chamber", Shannon said after a while of silence.

"Severus is a genius wizard", Hermione stated, "He surely had a good plan."

Shannon looked totally miserable when she emptied her cup and looked at them again.

"Nobody can apparate in the death chamber", she explained, "It's absolutely impossible, no matter how skilled the wizard is. It just doesn't work!"

"May it be that Voldemort has something to do with it?" Ron asked the question Hermione was thinking about as well.

But Shannon shook her head. "Even if he remembered that he's still a wizard he would not have the slightest chance to apparate from the chamber. It's about the portal – it is higher and very dark magic."

"Voldemort was the most powerful dark wizard of all times", Ron insisted stubbornly, but Shannon shook her head again.

"Voldemort wasn't even able to do this in times when he was still himself", she sighed.

The auror stood up and put her mug into the sink when suddenly Kreacher entered the room and look at them suspiciously.

"My Master didn't tell me to tidy up everything for you!" he grumbled peevishly.

"Harry is our friend and we're here because he has invited us. I think you don't need to have another order", Ron growled and rolled his eyes.

"I surely won't serve any mudbloods and blood traitors", the elf snorted angrily.

Because Shannon was already extremely annoyed that morning she interpreted Kreacher's words as the ultimate insult. She put her fingers around his neck and pulled him up a few inches above the floor. The way she looked into his eyes scared the hell out of him, even more when she started to explain her point of view with her threatening voice.

"If you're master was here he would not tolerate this kind of behavior. I'm afraid he's not here at the moment, but let me assure you one thing. If you ever dare to tell some racist shit like that again I will lock you up in a cupboard and leave you for death!"

She opened her hand to let Kreacher fall down to the floor. He picked himself up and ran out of the room shouting some very offending words.

"It's really about time he starts to memorize this!" Shannon ranted and slammed the door.

Ron grinned maliciously. He never had liked Kreacher, but since Sirius was dead nobody seemed to bother to tell the elf about who was the boss in the house.

"Harry should kick him out!" Shannon grumbled on.

"I've told Harry once he should give him a sock like he had done with Dobby, but he said he's useful. Nobody would clean and tidy up the house if he was gone for good", Hermione said.

"Whatever", the auror sighed, "I'll be on my way to the ministry now."

"OK", Hermione replied, "Ron and I will go to Hogwarts to have a look into the library. Maybe there's a book about the portal."

Ron wasn't enthusiastic about the idea at all, because he didn't want to spend that wonderful sunny day in a dusty library. But they had to save Harry. Nobody could even have guessed what had happened to him.

XXX

Severus opened his eyes, rubbed his temple and groaned. With clenched teeth he stood up and looked around. He had to get rid of the daze before he was able to orient himself.

"Did it work?" Harry asked hopefully.

Severus sighed and shrugged. "I'm not quite sure, but I doubt it… I will have to try it again. But I need a break now to prevent myself from going mental."

"I'm very doubtful about this issue", Voldemort explained fatalistically while he gave Severus a thoughtful look. The potions master looked back in the same angry way.

"If we didn't have to rescue you, we would have never got into this bloody situation. So please leave me alone with your comments and let me do what I have to do!" he spit at Voldemort.

"You were the one who pushed us through the portal, remember?" Voldemort said calmly and kept looking at Severus who seemed as if he wanted to jump up and slap the other man's face.

"Hey, hey!" Harry interrupted them, "Calm down, OK! We have to keep a cool head. Severus, I think it's the best if you'll rest for a while. Then you can try again and we will see if it works."

The young man looked away and let himself fall to the ground where he leaned back at the tree trunk from where he looked at the others thoughtfully. Severus lay himself down on the meadow and closed his eyes. He looked like he was meditating. Voldemort paced up and down restlessly.

The whole situation was so bizarre. There he was caught in the middle of nowhere with two men who had been his gravest enemies a few weeks ago and tried to survive. If he had known where this jailbreak would lead him to… he would probably have done it anyway.

Voldemort felt like he was thrown from the frying pan into the fire. His whole life, or at least the part of his life he was able to remember, he had spent to be scared of dying, then he had got the chance to escape from death just to find himself running right into his arms again. But now he wasn't alone with this problem anymore. Instead he had permitted that there were to men who had to bear this situation with him, two men who didn't have the slightest reason for helping him. They had risked so much for him and now he wasn't able to help them. The very first time in all those weeks he really wished to remember. Then – he was sure of that – he would have been able to bring this to an end and bring his… friends? … back home.

He kept wondering if there would ever come a time when he didn't have to run away from death.


	37. Hope?

Hope?

The day after those mysterious incidents there was still the hell going on at the ministry. The bureaucratic nightmare that was happening now was almost worse than the problem itself. Shannon had wasted the whole morning in meetings where they were only tossing around the known facts without any results. They haven't come any further. It was already midday when she finally entered the minister's office.

"Shannon!" he shouted when he saw her walking through the door, "What the hell went wrong?"

"I think the question is more about who the hell had forgotten to delete Voldemort from the alarm system's list", Shannon replied. Because of all the meetings she was in a quite bad mood.

"Alvin Rovac always took care for the system", the minister explained.

Shannon understood and sighed. "He's lying in St Mungo's since the battle of Hogwarts. As far as I know is he more dead than alive."

"It seems as if someone forgot to find a substitution for him", Shacklebolt sighed. The chaos of these days seemed to make him totally upset.

After reasoning about that issue Shannon finally started to talk about the problem that made her lose sleep.

"What is it about the portal, Kingsley? Is it really true that nobody can disapparate out of the death chamber?"

Shacklebolt shook his head sadly. "Yes, it's totally impossible. If you want to disapparate from the chamber you would be pulled into the portal immediately…"

Both looked at each other in fear.

"…and die", Shannon finished the sentence. She realized the scaring truth in those words.

After some seconds of silence Shannon shook her head reluctantly. "No, Severus would have known that!"

Shacklebolt looked at her with that you-do-not-really-believe-that look which told her straightly that she was hanging her hope on something where there was no hope at all.

"Shannon…" he started helplessly, but Shannon put him off.

"I will look around that bloody chamber again. I do not believe what I can't see!" she crumbled resolutely.

Her cloak billowed when she stormed out of the office vigorously. She left a man behind who still didn't know how to handle this whole situation.

Shannon was running more than she was walking down the corridors to the department of mysteries. Because of her gloomy look nobody dared to talk to her. Everybody thought that she was working on the task to disclose the latest mystery. After all she was the best auror they had.

She was glad that nobody came in her way. When she finally reached the death chamber she slammed the door behind her and leaned back against it. Then she allowed her feelings to break down the walls she had built around her mind.

Shannon didn't accept that Severus and the others were dead! She just didn't permit it! She screamed out her anger, wiped the tears from her cheeks and decided not to give up until she had turned around every little grain of dust in this room.

Because, dammit, she loved Severus and wanted him back…

XXX

Voldemort didn't feel well. Not that he had ever felt well in the last weeks, but now everything seemed to get worse. Was it a part of the process of dying to feel such pain? The last hours that Harry had used to ponder and Severus had tried to do some strange things, had more and more become Voldemort's personal hell. It had begun not long after they had arrived here. First it was just a slight headache which he had ignored, but after a while his limbs had started to ache and now he had the feeling his whole body was burning. In the beginning he had tried to ignore all of the pain which hadn't really worked. The others had surely recognized his temper.

But now…

When suddenly a wave of intense pain rolled through his body which felt as if his head wanted to explode he pressed his hands against his temples and fell to his knees. Another attack and he fell to the ground screaming.

Harry startled when he noticed what happened to Voldemort. He jumped up and ran to the screaming man who was rolling on the floor in pain. He touched his shoulder carefully but that seemed to torment him even more. Harry looked at Severus helplessly who came over to them quickly and looked at Voldemort in confusion.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Harry asked worriedly.

Severus shrugged. "I can only suppose that this place influences him more than us."

Harry looked at his former teacher startled when he realized the meaning of his words.

"Is he going to die?" he asked full of fear.

"Sooner or later we all will die, but I'm afraid he will be the first one", Severus explained trying to not show his emotions.

"I think it's about time that you're going back to work", Harry demanded severely.

He didn't want Voldemort to die after all they had already been through. That wouldn't just be fair!

While Harry was trying to soothe the whimpering Voldemort Severus sat down on the grass, closed his eyes, concentrated and dared another try.

XXX

Shannon had been pacing through the death chamber, had tried dozens of charms that might have been able to help, had examined the portal again and again, but still didn't know what had happened. Her stubbornness was the only thing that prevented her from giving up.

She sat down on the stairs in front of the portal tiredly, buried her head in her hands and tried hard not to cry. A mean little voice inside her head kept trying to convince her that she couldn't do anything for Severus. But there was another voice that encouraged her and told her that he was still alive. Somehow.

"Shannon!"

It was only a whisper, silent like a breath of wind. She didn't care for it because she thought it was just imagination.

"Shannon!"

It was still a whisper but this time the voice sounded sharper, more demanding.

She stood up slowly and looked around in the twilight of the room, but there was nobody to be seen. She shook her head, sat down again and wondered about the games her fantasy played with her. She had heard the same whisper in her unruly sleep last night. It was peculiar…

"Shannon!"

This time the voice was louder and sounded almost impatient. Now she realized where the whisper came from. Cautiously she stood up again and approached the portal hesitantly with small steps. When she came closer she heard the whispers of countless voices but she couldn't understand anything. She knew that only a person who had been close to death was able to hear those voices. She thought about all those times she was close to death bitterly.

Afraid of accidentally being pulled behind the veil she backed away a few steps. Now the whispers were more silent and less scaring.

"Shannon, I know you can hear me!"

She knew that voice. She knew it very well. And there was no doubt that it was speaking from inside the portal.

"Severus?" she asked silently. She seemed to fear that the voice would vanish if she spoke louder.

"Yes, indeed! Shannon, are you alright?" Severus wanted to know first.

What kind of question was that? He spoke to her through the portal of death and the only thing he wanted to know was if she was alright?

"Are you dead, Severus?" she asked trembling and ignored the question.

"No, not yet, but we're trapped in here. It's a passage between life and death. These things are quite hard to explain", the silent voice told her and she didn't know if this was a reason to be glad or a reason to be scared even more.

"Can… can I do anything?" she asked anxiously and hoped with all her heart that he would tell her how to solve this problem.

"I don't know, Shannon", he replied sadly, "I only want you to know that you shouldn't give us up yet."

Shannon just didn't know what to feel. She was so close to him. Maybe she only had to step through the portal to be with him again. Her heart was beating so loud that she thought it must echo through the whole room. Her whole body trembled and she felt tears running down her cheeks.

"Severus", she said crying not able to say anything else.

"I will make contact again", he said gently. "I'm sure we'll find a way."

Shannon wasn't sure if he really spoke the truth or just said it to calm her down. He hadn't sounded very confident. She swallowed her tears and tried to say something but no words left her mouth.

*Please don't give up on me", Severus said so tenderly which maid Shannon cry even more.

She wanted to have him back, no matter how much she would have to pay for it.

Shannon didn't quite know how long she had been standing in front of the portal crying. She had sensed that Severus had gone away. Talking to her through the portal seemed to be exhausting. If she only had any idea, if she only knew a way to bring him back.

She needed a long while until she was able to leave the chamber. She wiped her tears away and pushed her hair back vigorously, then she stepped out of the room even more vigorously. She decided to make contact with Ron and Hermione in Hogwarts. Maybe they had already found some news in one of the countless books.

And she promised to do what Severus had said. She wouldn't give him up. Never!


	38. Bad News

Before I continue I first want to say something I should have said long before!

I want to say thank you to all the reviewers who encouraged me to translate more chapters! I also want to say thank you to my followers and those who favored my story!

All of you make these tons of work worthwhile!

Thank you very much!

And here's the next chapter!

XXX

Bad news

The ancient and unique library of Hogwarts had overcome the battle a few weeks ago with not taking too much damage. Fortunately it was situated in a part of the castle that had been avoided by the worst fights. Because the students were still on holidays Ron and Hermione had the library for their own. Outside there was still a lot of work going on, but in the ancient reading room there was not much of it to be heard.

Hermione hat piled up all the books that could perhaps contain some information about the death chamber on the table.

"Well, Ron", she finally explained, "We will browse each and every of these books for information. If you find even the slightest remark about the death chamber, tell me!"

"All of them?" Ron asked and felt quite uncomfortable, "We will need years to read them all!"

"But we don't have years", Hermione said vigorously, "So try to make an effort!"

Ron knew that intonation well. As soon as Hermione began to speak this way he better accepted his fate if he didn't want to risk hearing one of her boring lectures. That's why he took a heavy book from one of the stacks and opened it. He produced a huge cloud of dust which made him cough heavily while he began to read countless texts. Hermione did the same with another book.

They had been sitting there in silence for hours now. The sun slowly moved to the west and left the room darker and darker. Because reading wasn't easy in the twilight Hermione finally lit some candles. In the moment Ron wanted to open the next weighty tome somebody entered the room.

"How are you doing?" Shannon asked gloomy looking over the big table.

Hermione and Ron shook their heads coincidently.

"It's frustrating", Hermione sighed, "There are many descriptions of the portal, but there's nothing useful to find about apparating. I've read more than once that everybody who tries to apparate in the death chamber will be pulled behind the veil. Maybe this is exactly what happened to our friends. Nobody has ever written down if and how he had returned."

"Because nobody has ever returned at all", Ron mumbled sadly.

"Severus has made contact with me", Shannon sad calmly.

She said the words as calm as she was able to in relation to her feelings. She would have hated herself for crying in front of those young people.

"What? How?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Today I visited the death chamber again to examine the portal once more. I was hoping the other aurors could have overlooked something. First I couldn't believe it and thought it was just imagination, but he kept calling me stubbornly", Shannon explained.

"And what did he say?" Ron wanted to know.

"They're trapped in some kind of a passage. As it seems they're not yet dead, but they're not alive either", the auror reported and closed her eyes tiredly.

She would have loved to fall asleep now, because she wanted to wake up and find out that everything had just been a nightmare. But she knew that the world didn't work like this.

"There must be a way to bring somebody out of there!" Hermione said thoughtfully.

Ron shook his head sadly and pointed at the heaps of books. "In all of those bloody books there's not the slightest hint about what we could do."

Three pairs of eyes looked helplessly at each other in the flickering light of the candles.

XXX

"I've made contact with Shannon!" Severus explained while he was wiping his eyes exhaustedly.

He was indescribably glad that he had been able to talk to her. Now he knew that they were not longer alone searching for a solution. Maybe Hermione found a book that contained exactly what they needed to know.

For being able to talk to her he had to use legilimency skills that he never would have learned if Voldemort once hadn't forced him to study them. Not many wizards were capable of these skills. It was really a pity that all of this knowledge had died with Voldemort's former self.

"Wow!" Harry shouted enthusiastically, "How did she react?"

He was still cowering next to Voldemort who seemed to feel worse and worse.

Severus sighed. "Well, she is very desperate, but she was glad to hear something from me."

"Will she bring us out of here, Snape?" Voldemort asked through his clenched teeth. Because of his pain he was barely able to speak.

"I don't think she had a spontaneous idea, but maybe she finds somebody who can help us", Snape answered vaguely. Voldemort gave him a most desperate look.

Severus stood up and walked back to the tree. He didn't want to see Voldemort all the time. Since they had arrived here he was quarreling with his conscience. Of course he had done what had to be done to prevent them from being caught by the aurors. He could hardly imagine what might have happened to Harry and him if they had found out that they were helping Voldemort to escape. He didn't even want to imagine what might have happened in general if everybody heard about Voldemort's existence. But now they were stuck in here and Voldemort at least seemed to be closer to death than to life. And he, Severus, didn't have the slightest clue how to rescue them.

Harry had caught up to him and looked into his former teacher's eyes severely.

"Voldemort is dying", he said full of sorrow.

Severus only nodded. There was nothing he could say.

The young man sat down on the grass and pointed Severus to do the same.

They both gazed into the distance absentmindedly for a while until Harry finally began to speak again. "It's not your fault, Severus."

Severus didn't quite know if he could really believe these words, but Harry didn't look like he was only trying to comfort him.

"There is no way", Severus whispered sadly, "Nobody has ever returned to the world of the living after he had stepped through the portal. If there was a way Voldemort would have mentioned it when he was telling us about 'Protego mortem'"

This was a point Harry was pondering about for a long while now.

"Why did he even tell you things like that?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know. He sometimes was in a strange mood. Then he gathered his inner circle around him and told us a little of his knowledge. I think it wasn't really about teaching. He just wanted to show us how much he knew about magic that nobody else knew", Severus explained.

"So he was quite a poser", Harry determined with a thin smile and turned around to look at Voldemort who was still crouching on the grass. He looked as if he'd rather leave his aching body. Harry's smile faded away.

"Indeed. But he never told us anything about resurrection!" Severus moaned, "I think even he did not reach these spheres of magic. Horcruxes and Inferii can't be compared with real life."

"He was a great wizard, wasn't he?" Harry asked thoughtfully.

"He was the greatest wizard of all times", Severus determined with some admiration, "If he had had a better character, he would have been able to change the world."

Both men remained silent for a while. Harry looked at Voldemort again and again who was suffering so unspeakably. Somehow he had always admired his skills, but he would have been glad if the Dark Lord hadn't used them to do such terrible things.

On the other head there was no more necessity for thoughts like these. The only important thing at the moment was a way out. He felt that Voldemort was running out of time.

And then he had an idea that seemed to have come right out of the blue.

"Severus", Harry said to the pondering man, "Can you tell me the exact reason why we are not able to return? You said something about resurrection…"

Severus nodded. "If there was something our friends outside the portal could use to bring us back to life it would be possible to escape from here. But I have never heard about such kind of magic."

Suddenly Harry was so excited that he started to shiver. He looked at Voldemort again and found the courage to toss in his suggestion.

"What about the resurrection stone?" he asked carefully.

Severus looked at him puzzled and raised his eyebrows.

"What stone are you talking about?" he asked confusedly.

"The hallows!" Harry said excitedly, "You surely know about the deathly hallows!"

"Of course I do. It's one of the tales of Beedle the Bard. I was never interested in that stuff", Severus explained reluctantly.

"But Severus!" Harry shouted. "The Elder Wand, the cloak of invisibility – you know them! You know that they exist!"

"I've never heard of someone who owned the stone! Did you?" Severus asked with a low voice.

"Sure!" Harry said triumphantly.

Severus was even more confused. Of course he did know about the hallows, who didn't? Voldemort had been convinced of their existence. That's why he had sought the Elder Wand so stubbornly and had really found it in the end. Because of Harry he knew also about the cloak of invisibility which had been very useful at the jailbreak. But a stone that was able to bring back the dead? Rubbish! And then…

"Assuming that the stone does exist… The tale says that a person that was resurrected with it only had half a life", Severus pointed out.

"Maybe this only happens to somebody who's really dead", Harry disagreed, "But we're not dead yet!"

Severus scratched his head thoughtfully and contemplated for a while. If this stone really existed it would be their return ticket.

"Nobody has ever seen that stone", he finally gave up his hope, but Harry shook his head vigorously.

"I've owned it once", he told Severus who looked totally confused and stared at the young man if he was struck by lightning.

"Are you kidding? Did you use it?" he asked and felt curious and scared at the same time.

Harry tore his hair. He didn't want to talk about what had happened when he had used it once in the forbidden forest. This wasn't important right now.

"I owned it", he only said.

"You are talking in past tense… Does it mean you don't have it anymore?" Severus wanted to know. He was not far from discarding that ridiculous thought.

"I've lost it somewhere in the forbidden forest", Harry admitted sadly.

Severus sighed in disbelief. How could anybody just lose such a precious artifact in a forest! But at least he took encouragement from what he knew now.

"So it is possible to find the stone there and use it?" he asked cautiously.

"Have you ever been searching something in the forbidden forest and really found it?" Harry replied.

No, he never heard about something like that. But Severus thought about Shannon. If this was his tiny chance to get back to her he was ready to try whatever was necessary. Every thought of her tore his heart apart. He HAD to go back. It had to be possible to find that bloody stone inside that huge dark forest.

"Assuming the fact they find the stone", he pondered, "How can they use it?"

Harry was glad to know enough about the stone to answer this question. "Somebody has to turn it three times in their hand and think about us as much as possible."

That sounded simple. Suddenly Severus felt much more alive again. A few minutes ago he had been ready to deal with death, but now there was so much new hope.

When he heard another tormented groaning Harry stood up and walked over to Voldemort. He was still lying on the same spot, his legs tucked up and his arms wrapped around his upper body. In deep concern Harry looked into Voldemort's face which was distorted with pain and looked paler than ever before. Like a skull, he thought.

"Please, Harry…" he whimpered. Then he gave up to the pain and lost his conscience.

Harry touched his pale cheek softly and felt Voldemort's ice cold skin. Then his hand wandered down to the carotid and searched for a pulse. When he finally found it Harry exhaled.

"Severus, please make contact with Shannon. If we don't hurry now it will be too late for Voldemort", Harry demanded vigorously.

Harry didn't quite know why he felt such compassion for Voldemort. Maybe he really felt some kind of friendship for his former enemy now, much more than he would have admitted to himself. Voldemort must not die! Not now that they had come so far!


	39. Making Plans

Thanks again for the encouragement, my friends, watchers and reviewers! :-)

Here's the next chapter. I'm sorry for not being able to update every day. Translation is a little difficult and takes a lot of time...

But I hope you stay tuned in anyway! There is much more to come!

XXX

Making Plans

Three people were still browsing countless books that were lying on the big table in the reading room. They clung to every mention of the gate, no matter how little it was, but there was nothing, nothing at all, that could help them on. The night moved in while the wizard and the two witches were losing more and more of their courage.

It must have been about midnight when Shannon leaned back sighing and closed her eyes. Reading books for hours drained her of strength, but the thought of Severus gave her the power and patience to carry on. But now she could feel the lost sleep from last night in every bone. While Ron and Hermione were discussing about something, she floated into a semi-conscious state that was not yet sleep. She allowed her mind to drift and thought about nothing, tried to free her mind from all the ballast and came to some peace.

She almost fell from her chair when she suddenly heard him whispering again.

"Shannon?" she heard his voice echoing in her head and she hoped not to dream.

"Severus?" she sent a careful thought to him.

Was it relief that she was feeling? She was astonished about the fact that the feeling that was creeping through her veins was his and not hers. It seemed as if he wanted to encourage her.

"We've got a plan", he said emphatically, "You must help us!"

Shannon felt some new hope growing in her heart.

"What do I have to do?" she asked anxiously.

"You have to look for something, but you don't have much time!" Severus demanded. It sounded very urgent.

"Of course. What is it?" she wanted to know.

"The resurrection stone. I need you to search for it", he requested, "It's lying somewhere in the forbidden forest of Hogwarts."

Shannon was slightly confused. Of course she had heard about the stone before. Most wizards did. Due to her work as an auror she knew about the existence of the deathly hallows, but how on earth could it happen that one of those artifacts had gone lost in that bloody forest?

"Why is the stone lying in the forbidden forest?" she asked puzzled.

Severus seemed to be a little impatient when he answered. "Don't ask me for the reason, but Harry has lost it there a few weeks ago…"

"Are you sure?" she asked warily.

Severus sent her some of his optimism that showed her that everything he said was true and that it was their only chance.

She felt uncertain anyway. "Do you know how huge that forest actually is?"

"I know", he replied, "Go, ask the creatures that are living there for assistance. In Hogwarts everybody gets help if he asks for."

Shannon knew that phrase, she just didn't quite remember why, but she was sure that it was no hollow promise.

"If I find it", she asked, "How should I use it?"

"Turn it in your hand three times and think of us. Think of the three of us as strong as possible", Severus explained. It sounded much too easy, but she was about to trust him.

"Alright", Shannon decided, "We will go looking for the stone immediately."

"You have to rush", Severus warned her, "Voldemort is running out of time, he's dying. Every minute counts!"

The auror felt him leave her mind. Communicating seemed to be very exhausting for him. She admired Severus for being able to do legilimency even from the other side. Voldemort seemed to have taught his allies at least some useful things.

She remained in silence for a few more seconds to get her head together, then she opened her eyes.

"Gosh, I'm glad you're back again!" Ron shouted in relief, his face was very close to hers.

"Of course!" she said harshly and pushed him away because she hated people being so close to her.

Hermione looked at Shannon sorrowfully. "You looked a little spaced out for some minutes. I was already thinking you're getting some kind of an attack. What happened?"

"Severus", she said, "he made contact once again."

Ron and Hermione looked at her with a mix of curiosity and concern. She shook her head to get rid of the daze before she told them what she had heard.

"There's a way to bring them back", she revealed, "But it will be very difficult."

"Why? What is it?" Hermione wanted to know and jumped up to be ready to start immediately.

Shannon sighed. "We have to find the resurrection stone. As it seems it's lying somewhere in the forbidden forest."

"Resurrection stone?" Ron asked puzzled, "From the deathly hallows?"

The auror nodded. "Exactly. I don't have a clue how it found its way into the forest, but Severus was totally sure that we will find it there."

"It won't be easy to find something in the forest, even more because the sun set in the meantime", Hermione pointed out.

"They're running out of time", Shannon said vigorously, "So we better start immediately."

Hermione nodded and put the book she had been reading in back on the table before she left the library with her friends. Fortunately they already were at Hogwarts, not far away from the forest.

XXX

With clenched teeth and a suppressed anguish cry Severus interrupted the connection with Shannon and let himself fall to the ground.

"Have you been able to talk to her?" Harry asked hopefully.

He was still cowering next to Voldemort where he still had to watch helplessly how he was slowly departing this life.

Severus nodded in relief. "Yes, indeed. And she's on her way to the forbidden forest right now. Now it's on her and your friends, we can only wait…"

Harry felt a little relieved, but his concern about Voldemort was much stronger. Now every single minute counted.


	40. The Forest

The Forest

A few minutes later Shannon, Hermione and Ron were on their way down to the forbidden forest. It was the day after new moon and there were clouds hanging in the sky, that's why the night was very dark. Every little sound, every shadow was somehow scary. Hermione thought about the night she had visited the forest for the very first time when she was a first year. They had been on a detention and Hagrid had to take them with him to look for something that was killing unicorns. Pondering about this she suddenly had an idea.

"We could ask Hagrid. Maybe he knows a creature in the forest that can help us", she suggested.

"No, we can't", Ron replied, "I've heard he brought Grawp back to the giants and hasn't returned yet."

That was really a pity. It would have really helped them if they could have asked Hagrid who knew the forest and its creatures better than anyone else. But now they had to make it on their own.

They entered the forest very cautiously with all their senses on the alert. Then and again they saw shadows moving between the trees and heard eerie sounds from the undergrowth. Between those ancient trees there lived many astounding creatures which could be found nowhere else on the planet.

After a while they got a creepy feeling that they were not alone anymore.

"Can you feel it?" Hermione whispered as silent as possible. She didn't want to have the attention of whatever was watching them.

Ron and Shannon nodded, but while the young people just looked around scaredly Shannon cleared her throat.

"If you're watching us come out and show yourself to us!" she demanded harshly.

First everything remained silent. Suddenly the whole place was dead silent as if the whole forest was holding its breath. A few seconds later a centaur with stately proportions stepped out from the undergrowth and looked at the three persons suspiciously.

"What are you doing in our forest at this time of night?" he sneered and showed them all the aversion he was able to show.

"We're looking for something", Shannon said calmly. She wasn't impressed at all by the centaur's behavior. She had met creatures that had been in a worse mood than him.

"There's nothing in this forest that might be interesting for you", the centaur replied haughtily.

"Don't be so unfriendly, Bane", another centaur criticized and stepped out from the undergrowth on the other side of them. Now they were standing right between the tall creatures.

Hermione recognized the second centaur, she had met him before.

"Firenze!" she said in relief.

He looked at the witch thoughtfully for quite a while, then he remembered her. "You're a friend of Harry Potter, aren't you? A friend of the one who finally freed us from the Dark Lord."

Hermione nodded eagerly while she was figuring out how to ask for Firenze's help without saying too much. She didn't trust Bane, that's why she didn't want to tell him why they were here actually.

"We've come here because Harry Potter is in grave danger", she revealed the truth, "There's something lying in the forest that can help us to rescue him."

The centaurs looked at each other as if they were able to fight just with their eyes. It was a silent wordless dialogue. When it ended Bane looked at the three friends again.

"If it's about Harry Potter you're partly welcome here. Do whatever you have to do and leave as soon as you've finished it", he spoke and turned around to walk away regally.

"May I help you?" Firenze wanted to know. He had started to be interested in those three people from the moment on he had heard the name of Harry Potter.

"We're looking for something Harry has lost here a few weeks ago", Hermione said cautiously, "An object, very small."

"I don't know anything about it, but I know somebody who might be able to help you", the centaur revealed and started to walk in a certain direction.

Shannon, Hermione and Ron looked at each other awkwardly before they followed the centaur deeper into the forest.

The undergrowth seemed to get denser with every step they took, and it was more and more difficult to follow the centaur. Countless twigs scratched their skin while they were climbing over tree roots, jumping over small streams and getting out of the way of bats and other animals of the night. The path seemed to be endless. Once or twice they lost Firenze somewhere so that he had to wait for them impatiently.

After an eternity the centaur finally stepped onto a forest glade. At the same moment the clouds moved away. In the silvery light of the stars Shannon and the others noticed a flock of unicorns which were looking at them very shyly.

"If there is someone who can help you to find what you are looking for it's the unicorns. They have the best senses of all creatures in the forest", Firenze let his companions know.

He called one of the unicorns with an awkward snort. It came over and looked at them very suspiciously.

"They're beautiful", Hermione whispered. She had never before seen a living unicorn. She had neared one of those creatures only once in that night when she had been here with Hagrid seven years ago. Voldemort had killed it.

Firenze seemed to talk to the unicorn telepathically for a while.

"She agrees to help you", he finally told them, "it would be easier if you had brought some of Harry Potter's belongings with you."

The wizards looked at each other startled because none of them had thought about that. But then Hermione remembered her special handbag. She rummaged around several minutes until she finally pulled an old grey pullover out of the bag.

"You carry Harry's clothes around?" Ron shouted in surprise. It sounded a little bit jealous.

"It's in there since we were hunting horcruxes", Hermione justified herself and handed the pullover over to Firenze.

"And what does that object you're seeking look like?" the centaur wanted to know.

"It's a stone", Shannon said vaguely and remembered a reminiscence of the stone that Severus had shown her. It hadn't been very clear but she remembered some of its characteristics.

"This is not really a useful description for something you're looking for in a forest", Firenze determined, "What does it look like?"

"It fits in the palm of a hand", the auror started to describe it, "It is black, has tapered edges and there's a gravure that shows the symbol of the deathly hallows."

Firenze became frightened and the unicorn backed away shyly.

"You're seeking the resurrection stone", Firenze shouted angrily.

Shannon nodded. "Harry Potter lost it somewhere in the forest in the night he met Voldemort. I think."

"A unicorn would never search an artifact of dark magic. It's for the better to leave the stone where it is right now!" Firenze stated.

"But we don't want to possess it, we only want to use it once", Ron said hopefully which made Firenze look at him curiously.

"Harry is trapped in a world between life and death", Hermione admitted, "The stone is our only chance to bring him back to us."

Firenze snorted and started to talk to the unicorn again. They seemed to have made an agreement when the centaur dropped Harry's pullover. She picked up the scent of it.

"You must promise to destroy the stone after you have used it. Then she will lead you on", the centaur demanded.

They had no problem to promise it, because it was exactly what they wanted to do.

"Then follow her", the centaur said and disappeared into the forest with loud hoofbeats.

To follow the unicorn was at least as difficult as following the centaur. If they weren't able to see the shimmering white creature between the trees now and then they would have surely lost it. They made their way through the undergrowth breathlessly and tried hard to catch up with the unicorn. Finally, at a moment they had almost given up to ever find the stone, the unicorn stood still on a glade.

The women walked up to the unicorn while Ron fell back to lean against a tree catching his breath.

The unicorn pointed with its horn to a certain spot on the ground, then it turned around and left quickly as if it feared what it had found.

Shannon bent down and wiped the leaves aside. She would have overlooked that special stone among the others if the moonlight hadn't been reflected by its plain surface. She took it in her hand carefully.

"Wait", Hermione whispered, "We should not forget that this forest has eyes and ears."

The auror nodded, whipped her wand out, pointed it at the surrounding and began to whisper protection enchantments. Hermione did the same. Nobody should know what was really happening here. They were sure about the fact that none of the creatures would be angry about resurrecting Harry. But concerning Voldemort they were sure as well that he would not be able to leave the forest alive if somebody found out that he was here.

"Do you think it's enough?" Hermione asked after they had finished their spells.

"I hope so", Shannon replied thoughtfully, "But as far as I know there are creatures in this forest that are able to even look behind protection spells."

"Can they even look through walls?" Hermione wanted to know and started to rummage around in her handbag.

"What are you doing?" Ron wanted to know who finally had dared to walk onto the glade.

After Hermione wasn't able to find what she was looking for in that universe of her handbag she finally whipped her wand out and grumbled "Accio tent!"

She was successful when a bundle of linen fell down to the ground.

"Hermione, you're brilliant!" Ron shouted admiring while Shannon looked a little confused.

Hermione used her wand to set up the small tent which revealed its secrets only if someone entered it. Inside it was much bigger than it seemed to be on the outside. Now there wouldn't be any curious creature that was able to see what they actually were doing. Another advantage of the tent was that it left the cold of the forest outside.


	41. Resurrection

Resurrection

For a while Shannon stood at the center of the tent and held the resurrection stone in her hand. She didn't quite know if she was really courageous enough to use it. After all it was an artifact of black magic and everybody knew its waywardness. She was almost afraid of the things the stone might be able to do.

"What are you thinking about?" Hermione asked cautiously.

Shannon sighed. "I think I'm a little coward at the moment…"

Hermione understood her well. She laid her hand on the auror's shoulder to encourage her while she whipped out her wand. Then she pointed out that she was ready. Shannon picked the stone from her palm with two fingers and turned it three times while she silently whispered the names of their missing friends. "Severus Snape. Harry Potter… Voldemort.

First there was nothing happening, that's why Ron looked at the women quite disappointed.

Suddenly Shannon dropped the stone as if it had become blazing hot. Dark smoke began to come out of the stone and swirled around indecisively for a moment until it finally began to form three bodies. Their contours were vague for some seconds but became more and more visible after a while.

Severus looked around the dark tent frantically as if he was scared of what he might possibly see. Harry looked as if he was catching his breath before he opened his eyes and looked around too.

But Voldemort fell down to the ground. His body looked as if it was torn apart by pain and he began to scream in agony. Something horrible seemed to happen to him.

"Severus", Shannon whispered. She could hardly believe that he had really returned to her. He embraced her and held her close without saying a word.

Hermione and Ron hugged Harry. Finally they had found each other again and their hearts were full of relief. But the happiness didn't last long. Harry kneeled down next to Voldemort and grabbed his shoulder vigorously.

"Tom!" he yelled at him, "We're back! We are back!"

But Voldemort didn't hear him. He had felt something clutching him, pulling him away violently. The pain of which he had thought it couldn't get worse seemed to tear him apart. Then something inside of his mind had shattered and made a huge avalanche of pictures and memories flood into his conscience. In just a few moments he had run through a whole life, a life that scared the hell out of him, a life of which he knew it was his own.

It tormented him so much that he could only scream.

Hermione crouched down to Harry and looked at Voldemort full of shock. The well-known face of the Dark Lord really scared her, but his behavior was much more worrisome.

"What happened?" she asked anxiously.

"I don't quite know", Harry replied, "Over there he was much closer to death than to life. He suffered unbearably. I was hoping it would stop as soon as we're …well… back to life."

Meanwhile the others also paid attention to Voldemort. They looked at each other helplessly because none of them had the slightest clue what to do next. After a while Voldemort stopped screaming, writhed with pain and began to cry. They had never before seen a person who was so totally desperate like him.

"We have to leave this place", Shannon finally said, "The protection enchantments start to vanish."

"Protection enchantments?" Severus wondered. He had lost himself in Shannon's embrace and still needed some time to find back to reality. "Where are we?"

"In the forbidden forest where you've sent us to", the auror reminded him.

"I'm sure there are waiting hundreds of creatures outside who want to see Harry's resurrection", Hermione explained, "We had to tell it to some of them because we needed their help to find the stone…"

"It might be for the better that the three of you and Harry remove the tent and walk out of the forest together. They should see that you weren't lying", Severus suggested.

Hermione didn't like the idea. "And what about you and Voldemort?"

"We have to apparate", Severus said reluctantly, "Voldemort would obviously never survive a walk through the forest. There are many creatures out there who would kill him right away."

The others agreed but Hermione was still concerned. "But he's much too weak! I'm not sure if he is able to survive apparation!"

Severus snorted scornfully and crouched down next to Voldemort. He pulled the man who was still crying closer to him and whipped out his wand. He casted a few spells the others never had heard of.

"Where?" Severus wanted to know.

Harry reflected and made up his mind. "Let's meet at my house at Grimauld Place."

Severus just nodded and disapparated with Voldemort.

The others removed the tent and started to break up the protection enchantments. Now every creature in the forest was able to see that they really had brought back Harry. Shannon dropped the resurrection stone and pointed at it with her wand. She fired a spell against the stone vigorously that made it split up in several pieces. They all felt relieved when they finally knew that another part of the deathly hallows was destroyed.

The sun was already rising in the east when they made their way back home.


	42. Memories

Severus stood at the hearth and stirred around in a cauldron very concentrated while he was dropping several ingredients into the bubbling potion. The air was full of a terrible smell which was the first thing Harry and the other noticed when they finally came back from the forest.

"What the hell are you brewing, Severus?" Hermione asked disgustedly, "It's noisome!"

"The potion is for Voldemort", the potions master said patiently, "It will ease his pain and make him sleep."

"Where is he actually?" Ron asked and looked around the kitchen curiously.

"I allowed myself to bring him to bed", Severus explained, "Finally he's not crying anymore, but now he's staring at the wall apathetically. It can't go on like this!"

"May I bring him the potion?" Harry asked, "I would like to talk to him."

Severus just shrugged and filled the disgusting potion into a big mug which he handed over to Harry.

"I wish you good luck. He didn't talk to me at all. I suspect he's not really present", he said and shrugged again.

The young man didn't quite know what was expecting him. He hadn't almost been able to bear Voldemort's suffering behind the portal. He had really hoped that he would be alright as soon as they had come back, but Voldemort seemed to have brought his personal hell over here.

Harry opened the door of the small bedroom carefully and entered the dim room. Voldemort was lying on a bed which was so big that it made the thin man look very small and fragile. He had turned his back to the door and had curled up into a ball. The blanket was lying loosely over the bed and didn't cover his sick body, that's why he seemed to feel very cold. Harry put the mug on the nightstand quietly and put the blanket over Voldemort. Then he bent over to find out if he was sleeping.

"Tom", he said cautiously after he had noticed that Voldemort was awake, even though he was just staring at the wall without doing anything.

Voldemort didn't move.

"I have a potion for you that will make you feel better", Harry promised, but the other man still didn't move or say anything.

"Tom?" Harry asked a little louder, but Voldemort ignored him again.

Harry clutched Voldemort's shoulder and rolled him over on to his back to look into his face. He saw the man's eyes following his movements – he really was awake. Harry was gravely concerned about the look in Voldemort's face. He looked tormented in a way as if somebody had fired the cruciatus curse at him. Harry didn't even dare to imagine what was going on in the former Dark Lord's head at the moment. An eternity later Voldemort finally seemed to realize that Harry was looking at him. He sat up slightly but still didn't say a word.

Happy was glad that his patient finally noticed him. So he took the mug to hand it over to Voldemort but was ignored again.

"You must drink it, Tom! It will help you", Harry insisted.

Voldemort grabbed for the mug with shaking hands. Harry helped him to drink a little of the potion sip by sip. With a death-defying look he pushed Harrys hand away after a few sips. Harry did really understand that Voldemort didn't want to drink the rest of this disgusting broth. So he put the mug back on the nightstand while Voldemort laid himself down again.

"What on earth has happened?" Harry asked helplessly and looked at Voldemort who looked back at him helplessly as well. He seemed to fight with himself which took a lot of his strength .

"I remember", he finally whispered and looked away as if he was ashamed of something.

"I know, Tom. This world in between was horrible, especially for you. But we're back home now. You're safe after all", Harry tried to calm him but Voldemort just shook his head reluctantly.

"No, Harry", he replied, "I remember Voldemort…"

He turned his back again and pulled the blanket over his body as if he wanted to disappear underneath it.

Harry was thunderstruck. Where did these memories come from so suddenly after they had searched for them so long unsuccessfully? He supposed that it had been something about their transfer back to the world of the living. It had made him struggle as well because he had seen a lot of memories he normally suppressed somewhere deep inside his subconscious mind. If Voldemort had experienced the same effect, Harry didn't even want to imagine that horrible flood of memories that had rolled over this poor man.

Harry just didn't know what to say. He wasn't prepared for a situation like this at all. He had always been afraid that Voldemort would gain his memory back someday, but why did it have to be in a time when Voldemort was so vulnerable? According to the changes the former Dark Lord had made in the last weeks his memories surely drove him over the edge. Harry felt such compassion with this poor man that he could have cried.

Harry touched Voldemort's shaking body carefully and hoped that it would calm him down. He wanted to show him that he wasn't alone with this burden.

"Can I help you?" he asked after a silent while, his hand still lying on Voldemort's arm.

He turned around to Harry again but still didn't dare to look into his eyes. His voice was just a scarcely audible whisper when he finally began to speak. "Why don't you hate me for all the things I have done to you?"

It was a simple, clear and totally honest question, but according to what Voldemort was referring to it wasn't simple at all. Harry inhaled, thought of his parents for a moment, got his head together and exhaled.

"Since I know that you're regretful I can't hate you anymore, Tom", he replied honestly.

"You should have killed me!" Voldemort whispered. Harry didn't overlook the tears of desperation that were running down his cheeks.

Harry shook his head vigorously. "I will never kill somebody for what he has done. And you're somebody else now, you have changed. You know that you're not guilty of what Voldemort has done."

Harry took the mug with the meanwhile almost cold potion and looked at Voldemort severely. He wanted to help him by all means.

"Please drink this potion, Tom. It will make you sleep", he almost begged him, "You're much too exhausted to think clearly. We will have lots of time to talk about what has happened, but you need some sleep first."

"And when I dream?" Voldemort asked anxiously.

"The potion will make you sleep dreamlessly", Harry promised and hoped for Severus' professional competence.

Voldemort sat up slightly and took the mug from Harry's hand. His whole body was still shaking, that's why he almost spilled the potion. Harry helped him to empty the mug. Then Voldemort laid himself down again and fell asleep at the same moment. Harry was glad to see him relax. He tucked up Voldemort carefully to make him feel warmer.

The upcoming days and weeks wouldn't be easy at all, but Harry promised himself to help Voldemort coping with his past.

He walked down to the kitchen thoughtfully, not knowing what to tell the others.


	43. Future Plans

„Even the paper is full of this!" Hermione shouted angrily and showed the others the Prophet's front page where there was written in large blinking letters:

"SECURITY PROBLEMS AT THE MINISTRY"

Shannon whipped the paper out of Hermione's hands and opened it for reading the article that belonged to the headline. Somebody must have told the Prophet what recently had happened at the ministry. She skimmed through the text hastily but didn't find anything she hadn't known before. Fortunately there was nothing about Voldemort.

"Minister Shacklebolt told the Daily Prophet that it was a false alert and that the aurors were able to solve the problem quickly", she read loudly.

"I just hope that nobody will ever remember that Voldemort is still alive and has been imprisoned there for weeks", Severus mumbled while he cleaned the cauldron to finally get rid of the potions' smell.

"If I cast an Obliviate you can always be sure that it works!" Shannon said confidently.

"I feel somehow like a criminal anyway", Ron said thoughtfully, "I mean, we helped one of the most dangerous criminals to escape."

"I trust in Harry", Hermione determined, "If he says Voldemort is OK I will believe it."

At the same moment Harry entered the room in deep thoughts, put the empty mug into the sink and sat down at the table.

"Did he drink the potion completely?" Severus wanted to know. He didn't overlook that Harry was contemplating about something.

The young man nodded. "Yeah, he drank the whole mug. He fell asleep immediately and I hope he will recover now from what has happened."

Hermione kept a very close eye on Harry. She knew the expression on his face very well.

"Did he say something?" She asked.

Harry nodded slightly but didn't know how to talk about this special issue. These moments with Voldemort had been very private and it felt like betrayel to talk about it with the others. So he remained silent and took the paper to pretend reading. The others looked at each other alerted.

"There's something you don't want to tell us, isn't it?" Hermione insisted and looked at him with her Tell-Me expression he had never been able to resist.

"He's feeling very bad", Harry said avoidant.

Shannon could see on Harry's face that he was hiding something and she wanted to know it by all means. If it was about Voldemort they had to be very careful.

"Am I right that his present state is not only caused by your visit at the world in between?" she asked suspiciously.

Harry hated himself for not being able to lie.

"Well, without our special excursion it would surely not have gone so bad", he said vaguely, "But the world in between is a reason."

Suddenly four pairs of eyes looked at Harry so intensely that he only wanted to jump up and run away. He struggled gravely with himself if he should tell the others the truth or if he better kept it for himself. On the one hand Voldemort surely didn't want the others to know what had happened and on the other Harry was afraid of his friends' reactions.

"Tell us, Harry!" Hermione interrupted his thoughts vigorously. As it seemed he didn't have any choice.

"He remembers", Harry sighed sadly.

His friends actually were looking not as much horrified as he had thought but there was still a lot of worrying in their eyes. For a few seconds there was a grave silence hanging over the table.

"Everything?" Ron asked cautiously.

"As it seems, yes", Harry replied honestly.

He didn't overlook that Shannon's and Severus' faces hardened when they heard the news and realized what they really meant.

"And how does he deal with it?" Hermione wanted to know.

Harry sighed. "He can't cope with it. He's so totally scared and horrified by the things he remembers that it almost tears him apart."

"So he does remember that he wanted to kill me?" Severus asked threatening. He just seemed to have overheard Harry's last words. There was so much anger in his eyes which made Harry shiver inside.

The young man raised his hands soothingly. "Hey, I didn't ask him for details! But you can be assured that he really really regrets all of that. The man in the bedroom upstairs has panic fear of his memories and his dreams! You should not forget that he isn't the former Dark Lord anymore, even though he remembers everything now!"

Severus didn't seem to be convinced at all. "If he remembers what he has done it might be possible to make him accountable for all of his crimes, right?"

"No!" Harry replied and looked at Severus at least as intense as the former teacher looked at him. "He is no longer the criminal he used to be. I have really believed you have understood this fact. All of you!"

Everybody could see Harry's disappointment written on his face in big capital letters.

"Let's stay calm", Hermione rose to speak, "If his former self had come back along with his memories he would surely not hide in this house crying all day!"

Ron shared Hermiones opinion, Shannon nodded thoughtfully.

"He was always afraid that the memories might come back some day", she determined, "Now that it happened it seems to torment him much more than he had ever thought."

"We still can trust him", Harry insisted, "And he will need all the help he can get to cope with his past."

"To account for his past will be a very complex task", Shannon pondered, "But I'm going to help you."

Harry looked at the auror thankfully. He was glad for being not alone with this difficult issue.

"If there is anything I can do you can count on me as well, Harry!" Hermione said severely.

Ron just nodded. If Hermione thought she did the right thing he would stand by her side.

Then there was only Severus left. Harry could see in his eyes how much he was racking his brain.

"Harry, I'm not sure if I can stay dispassionate about this new situation", he finally explained, "I had to suffer the, as you say, former Dark Lord much longer than all of you. But because I trust you I'm willing to give him another chance. But he would do wise to not annoying me."

Harry exhaled in relief. "I'm glad we were able to come to an agreement all in all."

However, he had the best friends of all.

XXX

A few days later Harry sat in the kitchen alone. He was very thoughtful and a little frustrated while he stirred around in a cup of tea. He had tried to convince Voldemort to finally eat something but he had declined stubbornly and had turned his back on him. Now he was lying in bed the third day in a row and didn't make the slightest move to change something about the situation. Harry had been thinking about it for a while and was glad that Shannon entered the kitchen in exactly the right moment.

"Good morning", she said with a smile and began to make coffee. She had always been wondering why wizards and witches didn't like that delicious brew. When she had been living in the muggle world for a few years she had learned to appreciate it very much.

Harry nodded at her friendly.

"Where's the elf gone actually?" she asked a little confused facing the obviously growing heap of dishes in the sink.

"I have no idea where Kreacher is", Harry answered honestly, "When I saw him the last time he had been very angry about something…"

Shannon sat down and grinned widely. "I think it is my fault. I have threatened to lock him up in a cupboard when he had spoken his racist phrases again. Well, it is not that I miss him but I think it's really about time for cleaning the dishes."

Harry grinned back at her. As little he liked Kreacher as much he appreciated his service. On the other hand it wasn't so bad that the elf wasn't here. Harry didn't even want to think about what Kreacher would have said about Voldemort's presence in the house.

"Shannon, I think it's about time to move. I want to bring Tom away from this gloomy and rainy city", Harry told the auror the result of his contemplation. "He should live in a place where he can see the sun. Maybe this would make it easier for him to find some peace."

"That's an excellent idea!" Shannon commended, "Living in this house makes you depressive after a while. And when you already are depressive it won't surely help you to get well. Don't get me wrong, Harry, I like your house, but…"

Harry nodded and smiled a little. "It's depressing, yeah. The Black family's gloom is hanging in every single corner."

"Do you already know where you want to bring our patient to?" the auror asked curiously.

"Besides this shack here Sirius also devised me a summer house", Harry revealed, "It's a really beautiful place and it is protected by ancient and very powerful protection enchantments. He had lived there when he had to hide after his escape from Azkaban."

Shannon liked the thought. "If even the dementors weren't able to find Sirius I'm sure that Voldemort will be safe there. What he needs the least at the moment is a life on the run. "

"That was exactly what I have thought of", Harry confirmed and was more than glad that the expert like his suggestion.

"When do you want to move?" she wanted to know.

Harry shrugged and looked at the heap of dishes before he made his decision spontaneously.

"Today!" he stated.

"Tell me about this house", Shannon asked him, "What is it like?"

"It's standing on a green island in the middle of a lake in the Scottish Highlands", Harry described, "Well, it's more a castle than a house. The Blacks always had style… It's not easy to reach because of the enchantments."

"So you can't apparate", the auror concluded.

Harry nodded. "You can't use a boat as well. The only access to the castle is a well hidden portkey."

"Did Sirius tell you where to find it?" Shannon asked still very curiously.

She was more and more fascinated about this idea because like Harry she really wanted a dignified dwelling place for Voldemort.

"Of course!" Harry replied with a grin. "What do you think? Do you want to come along with Severus and stay there for a romantic summer holiday?"

Shannon didn't overlook Harry's wink. Obviously everybody seemed to know that there was by far more than friendship between Severus and her.

"Your offer is really tempting", she determined, "I could use some days of my residual leave and I'm sure Severus would also like to escape for a while."

"Escape from what?" Ron asked curiously when he entered the kitchen with Hermione.

He sat down on a chair while Hermione was happy that Shannon had made coffee. With a brim-full mug in her hands she joined the others at the table.

"We're going to move!" Harry announced cheerfully.

"Move?" Ron asked confusedly, "Where to?"

"I've told you about Sirius' summer house before, haven't I?" Harry asked and hoped that his friends would remember.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I remember. You were fancying about the beauty of this place and you were wondering why the Order never had used the house for a head quarter."

"Right", Harry confirmed, "There were several reasons for not using it, but I think it's perfect for Tom."

Hermione nodded again. "At least he will feel better there than here. Nothing against this house here, but…"

Harry put her off with a smile. "I know, I know, everybody hates my house!"

"And when do you want to make it happen?" Ron wanted to know.

"After breakfast!" Harry decided once more.

He really loved the idea, but he knew that convincing Voldemort would not be easy at all…


	44. About to leave

I have a beta reader now! Yay!

Thank you very much, Likiana, for your constructive help! You're the greatest person of all!

She will beta read my complete story starting with all the chapters from this here onward. (the previous ones will be done some later)

And thanks to all my readers, review writers, followers… You are my motivation!

XXX

After Harry had finished his breakfast he put his plate and cup on the tottering heap of dishes in the sink and went up the stairs to Voldemort's room.

He was still lying in his bed apatheticallyand still seemed to be resolved to ignore the world for the rest of his life. It couldn't go on like that!

"Tom!" Harry shouted vigorously making Voldemort cringe. Fine, at least he was paying attention.

Harry sat down on the lower end of the bed and looked at Voldemort firmly. He wondered how long he hadn't seen the sun. Harry supposed that in the times when he still had been the Dark Lord he had preferred to be in the darkness as well. That had to wear one down in the long run.

Because Voldemort didn't say anything Harry tossed in his suggestion, no, his decision.

"We're going to move today. It's about time to bring you into nicer surroundings", he explained.

Voldemort looked at the young man with an expression of astonishment and reluctance on his face. He didn't agree with that decision at all.

"I don't deserve a better place", he declared morosely.

"Stop talking rubbish all the time!" Harry snapped, "You better get up, take a shower and get ready for travelling!"

Voldemort looked at Harry bewilderedly. He was absolutely sure that never before in his life somebody had dared to talk to him in such a commanding way. But Voldemort also knew that the young man meant well for him. The others only tolerated him, but in Harry he had found at least something similar to a friend. And because he didn't want to annoy him he got up slowly and toddled over to the bathroom which was situated next to the bedroom. He was still very weak after all that had happened in the last time, so walking was still very difficult for him.

Harry was thankful that Hermione had taken the time to wash Voldemort's robes. In the prison nobody had ever been interested in hygiene and the last days hadn't made things better. Voldemort was surely more bearable after he had finally taken a shower. Harry waited patiently until Voldemort had finished and handed him over his robes through the small door.

It took a while but then Voldemort stepped through the door and looked at Harry thoughtfully. Now that he finally was clean and awake and was wearing his old robes again to which he still was clinging to Harry could no longer overlook who he once had been. The young man shivered when he looked at Voldemort who was aware of the fact.

"You don't have to fear me", Voldemort promised with a candid look and a hint of a smile.

"Tell me, Tom, don't you want to change those robes for some normal clothing?" Harry asked unhappily but Voldemort just shook his head.

"When I see myself in the mirror I want to remember", he explained seeming to have a weird inclination to self-punishment, "Besides I can't change the rest of my looks as well."

Of course the hopefully really former Dark Lord was right with that. Even in normal street wear he still would have looked somehow scary. Harry wasn't happy about Voldemort's decision anyway but knew that there was no use in arguing with that diehard. So he gave in to his unalterable fate for now.  
"Well, if you say so…" Harry sighed defeated, "I'm glad you decided to leave your bed finally. We're going to move today. Then you will see the sun again."

Harry realized that Voldemort seemed to like that suggestion somehow. At least he didn't start to whine again that he didn't deserve it. The young wizard took this as a good sign.

"Am I safe there?" Voldemort wanted to know and Harry nodded.

"I guarantee that nobody will ever find you there. And you can stay there as long as you like", he assured, "It's a beautiful place, you will like it. You will surely come to some less gloomy thoughts there."

Voldemort seemed to feel a little relieved which made Harry very happy. This had been by far easier than he had feared. Was Voldemort's spontaneous will to cooperate a result of Severus' potions? Harry guessed so.

"Come with me to the kitchen", he invited Voldemort and added with a motherly voice: "Nobody will leave the house without a breakfast!"

Voldemort padded down the stairs behind Harry and entered the kitchen where Severus was present now as well. The others told him about Sirius' summer house at the moment. But when the tall figure in the dark robes entered the room everybody fell silent suddenly. Nobody had forgotten what Voldemort once had been, and when they saw him standing there, upright and with a serious expression, shivers ran down their spines. Ron slid closer to Hermione, Shannon almost choked and Severus left no doubt that he was ready to kill Voldemort as soon as he behaved suspiciously.

Voldemort didn't overlook the uncertainty in the others' eyes. His heart sank because he knew that none of them would ever forget who he had been. He also knew that those people only tolerated him because Harry believed in him.

"Good morning", he said quietly, anxiously und stood still indecisively while Harry poured a cup of tea and charmed a plate filled with an opulent breakfast. He put both on the table and motioned for Voldemort to sit down. The older man, however, didn't dare to join the others.

Hermione cleared her throat. "That's... It's OK, Vol... erm..."

"Voldemort", he just said, "You can still address me by that name."

The others exchanged meaningful looks. Severus grasped his wand.

Harry was annoyed by the distrustfulness that was hanging in the room heavily but he decided to remain silent. Voldemort realized that he had to offer an explanation.

"I can only learn to cope with my memories if I face them day after day. This name is part of these memories, so don't be afraid to use it", he explained seriously while he was kneading his fingers nervously, feeling totally unwelcome in this room.

Again it was Hermione who broke the silence: "OK… Voldemort… I think we'll manage. Please sit down... It really is all right."

Voldemort looked uncertainly at Harry who just shrugged and smiled a little. The former Dark Lord sat down at the edge of the bench cautiously. When he finally saw the fragrant breakfast standing in front of him he realized how hungry he actually was, which wasn't surprising after he hadn't eaten anything for days. But he didn't dare to eat.

Hermione realized Voldemort's fear and uncertainty and felt compassion for him. On no account they had anything to fear from that man who was sitting at the end of the table, looking so frail and shy.

"Please", she said cautiously and tried to break the ice as she sat down next to him, "Don't let it grow cold."

Saying this she gave him a look that she hoped to be encouraging for the man.

Because of Hermione's friendly gesture Voldemort started to feel a little less uncomfortable in the room whose atmosphere seemed so icy to him that there should've been icicles everywhere.

Shannon and Severus had become very careful towards him. He supposed that they were afraid of what he might have remembered. He knew Ron and Hermione but he never had had much to do with them. He was deeply ashamed that Hermione of all people, whose death his allies had planned in close detail, was so friendly towards him. But she just gave him an encouraging nod which made him finally give in to his hunger and he began to eat.

Because she didn't want the others to stare at Voldemort while he was having his breakfast, Hermione began to clear the table busily. And because it wasn't possible to add anything to the huge heap of dishes without risking the whole thing crashing down, she placed the used dishes on the stove and began to let water run into the sink to clean them.

"Ron, make yourself useful and help me to clean the dishes!" she she vigorously prompted Ron, who knew that he did better not ignore her.

Harry snatched up a dishcloth as well to help Hermione whom he was very thankful for trying to divert the others' attention from Voldemort.

Suddenly the door was flung open and Kreacher came scuffing into the kitchen morosely. He wanted to start grumbling again, but Shannon immediately threatened him with her wand, which made him shut up. Without saying a word he tore he dishcloth from Hermione's hands and started his work. Hermione looked at Voldemort and then at Kreacher very uncomfortably. But before she could do anything the elf turned around to put a pot on the table. When he saw Voldemort his eyes grew wider and wider.

"The Dark Lord", he breathed, "What an honour!"

Voldemort looked up from his plate and stared at Kreacher horrified. He wanted to say something but Harry shook his head, alerted.

"He's not the Dark Lord", he hissed at the elf.

"I'm sure to be able to recognize Lord Voldemort", Kreacher shot back with utter conviction.

Shannon realized the explosive nature of the situation. Kreacher was well-known for always hanging around somewhere to gossip. If they let him know about Voldemort's existence they could've advertised it in the Daily Prophet just as well. It was time for Shannon's special Obliviate again. She stood up sighing, grabbed Kreacher by one of his ears and dragged him out of the room. The elf tried to fight back screaming.

"Why is the Dark Lord's return kept secret from Kreacher?" he screamed totally uncomprehending.

"Because the Dark Lord has not returned", she told him unmistakably, "It's that simple."

Before she slammed the door the auror looked at the others meaningfully.

"It's really about time to move immediately", Harry determined.

Voldemort had stopped eating the moment the house-elf had recognized him. He was so shocked by Kreacher's reaction that he wasn't able to do anything. He just sat there as though he'd been petrified and was still staring at the same spot even after the door had closed. Encounters like this belonged to the things he feared the most. Hermione looked at him compassionately and turned to Harry.

"Where is that portkey?" she asked hastily.

"It's not here", Harry replied, "It's kept in a remote place. We can't apparate to the place itself, but close to it. It's only a short walk from there.

She had almost been sure that it would be complicated. To be honest, she couldn't remember anything ever being easy when it was connected with Harry.

"I will accompany you and… Voldemort…" she cleared her throat, "As soon as I know the path I can go back to pick up the others."

Harry was OK with this course of action. They couldn't go all at the same time because Voldemort had to be gone before Shannon could cast her Obliviate on Kreacher. Furthermore there had to be somebody to protect the house with the necessary enchantments before they finally left it.


	45. Freedom

The place where the three wizards apparated was by all means beautiful. It was situated at the shores of a very enchanted looking lake which was surrounded by ancient trees and high mountains. The whole place looked as if it came from a Runrig song. The sun came out of a dramatic cloud formation right at the moment they arrived and bathed everything in a surreal light.

Voldemort raised his head and absorbed every single ray of sunlight while he inhaled deeply. He couldn't remember if he had ever experienced a place like this so intensely. It was so much more beautiful than the imagination he had been clinging to in the prison. The grass was a lush green, there were still some drops of the last rain, which couldn't have been too long ago, hanging on the blades of grass. Voldemort enjoyed the colors of the forest, which showed that autumn wasn't far away. Filled with awe he watched a blood red phoenix that was circling above them, cawing. How wonderful this peace was. Why hadn't he ever realized how beautiful and perfect the world actually was? Why had he wanted to destroy everything? He didn't understand himself anymore. But now he didn't want to contemplate, he only wanted to take this place in and never let it go. Every little bit of him enjoyed this moment and he wasn't ashamed that he was crying.

Harry and Hermione gave him time because they both realized how important this moment was for him. In the corner of his eye Harry watched the young woman wiping a tear from her eye and then looking at him a little ashamed.

After a while in which Voldemort had ignored everything that would have been able to destroy this special moment he finally remembered that he wasn't alone. He felt a little awkward when he turned to the others again.

"I didn't want to stop you", he said to apologize, but Hermione gave him a smile.

"You've been missing this so much, haven't you?" she asked with a soft voice.

Voldemort only nodded because her understanding surprised him so much that he didn't know what to say.

"Come on!" Harry finally broke the moment of embarrassment and started to walk into a direction along the shore. The others followed him.

They had to walk more than half an hour but Voldemort enjoyed every single moment of it. He could have moved through these forests forever. For a moment he envied the phoenix who was still circling in the sky. Could he ever feel so free after everything that still kept him imprisoned? He hoped it with all his heart.

Harry led his companions to a small cave which was so well hidden behind some trees that nobody who wasn't really searching for it could ever find it, Sharp stalactites hung from the low ceiling, so they had to crouch to walk on. A few hundred meters in the dark interior of the cave that was only lit up a little by Harry's and Hermione's, the young man finally stopped and pointed at a stone which stood out a bit from the wall.

"This is it!" Harry announced. "We only have to touch it to get to Black Manor immediately."

Because they all wanted to flee from this eerie cave they put their hands on the stone to find themselves standing in another cave a few unpleasant seconds later.

"Are you sure that this is the right place?" Hermione asked uncertainly but Harry was able to reassure her.

"The dungeons are hundreds of meters below the surface", he explained, "I think they wanted to be sure that nobody uses the portkey accidentally. That's why they put it here. Come with me!"

Hermione and Voldemort followed Harry up countless roughly hewn stairs until they finally reached a small wooden door where he whipped out his wand and murmured a few charms. The door opened and allowed a view over a sun-bathed yard surrounded by columns, which led up to the entrance of the house over an impressive staircase and offered a wide view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

The house – if you would call it that – was huge, looked like a slightly smaller version of the castle of Hogwarts. The overwhelming silence everywhere told them that nobody ever came to this place.

"Wicked!" Ron breathed, "And all of this is yours, Harry?"

Harry nodded not without pride.

"Yeah, Sirius practically left me the whole property of the Black family, since there's nothing left of it anymore", he revealed with a smile.

Voldemort had walked over to the low wall at the lakeside of the yard and enjoyed the view. Never before he had lived at such an astonishing place. He painfully realized that he never had been interested in things like that. But now he wanted to make the most of every moment of his new life. Hermione and Harry left him alone for the moment because they realized how important this was for him.

"I think the others are already expecting me impatiently", Hermione said after she had finally been able to avert her eyes from Voldemort who fascinated her so much.

Harry nodded. "Right. It's about time to pick them up…"

"I'll find the way" Hermione promised, "I think it's better if he isn't alone in case the bad memories come back."

Convinced by Hermione's common sense as usual Harry agreed. "If you don't return before dark I'll come to look for you. The way through the forest is a little tricky."

Hermione just grinned and made her way to the portkey. Harry sat down on a stair in front of the castle's entrance and enjoyed the silence for a while which felt more than good to him after all that had happened in the last time. He didn't want to disturb Voldemort because he knew that he needed all of this much more than he did. And they had really plenty of time.


	46. Finding Black Manor

„Are you really sure we're on the right way?" Ron asked doubtfully and looked around the thick forest.

"It has to be here somewhere!" Hermione shouted angrily, looking closely at every single tree.

It was very embarrassing to her, and she wasn't planning on admitting she had somehow lost her way. The other annoying fact was that it was getting darker and darker, not only because the sun was slowly setting, but also because meanwhile dark, threatening clouds had gathered.

"In any case, that cave is hidden very well", Severus, who by the way didn't feel too comfortable about the impending thunderstorm, stated appreciatively.

Hermione paced back and forth frantically and looked behind every tree and bush, but she realized the only option she had left was to admit her error

"I'm not quite sure if we have really taken the right turnoff at the last clearing she admitted shamefully.

"And what are we going to do now?" Ron asked impatiently.

Shannon looked at the others thoughtfully. "It might be for the better to return to the clearing and try another path."

At the same moment the first raindrops fell from the sky, vanguards of an extremely unpleasant thunderstorm. Severus pulled his robes closer around him and looked worriedly up at the darkening sky.

"Taking a look at the weather I come to think that it's really about time to find the right path", he grumbled moodily, turned around and walked into the direction from where they had come from.

The others followed him because none of them was keen on rain.

When they finally reached the clearing the rain was already coming down in sheets. A distant roll of thunder then and again showed them that the weather was going to be worse. Hermione spun round on the clearing hoping to find the right way. But in this twilight everything looked different than in the sunny afternoon. She cursed herself for not having paid more attention.

"So?" Shannon asked demandingly while she wiped away the rain from her face. They were all wearing summer clothes except for Severus, so they all were soaked to the skin already.

Hermione shrugged and looked very unhappy.

"I'm not quite sure but I think this is the right way", she finally made a decision and pointed at a certain direction, not because she believed in the truth of her words, but because she wanted to regain some of her control over the situation.

Because the others had no choice anyway they followed Hermione into the thick forest again. There the rain was not so heavy because the trees caught most of the water. But they knew that this wouldn't last very long. Just a few minutes later bright lightning stabbed down from the sky, giving the scenery an unreal light for a split second. The thunder roared only seconds later and then the flood came in.

Hermione swore. She could barely see anything because of the rain and the darkness. How could she ever find that bloody cave in the storm. That was enough to drive her up the wall.

For a while they silently followed a small trail of which they hoped it would at least lead them into the right direction. They could hardly believe it, but the rain got still heavier while the thunderstorm showed all its fury.

"Maybe it might be for the better to return to Grimmauld Place", Severus suggested after a while. He had more than enough of the constant rain.

"Harry will look for us", Hermione replied, "He said he'll be on his way if we're not back until dawn."

It didn't sound very hopefully because in the meantime nighttime had fallen. Maybe Harry was wandering around somewhere, unable to find them. Or he relied on Hermione's sense of direction and refrained from a walk in the rain.

Shannon raised her wand and sent some red sparks into the sky.

"Maybe he sees them", she explained.

The wizards found some protection from the rain underneath a tree with an exceptionally thick top and Severus cast a charm that at least protected them from most of the raindrops. They stood there for quite a while and waited because they had no other choice. None of them spoke a word but they all were somehow disappointed by Hermione who was so angry about herself that she could have screamed.

When the rain finally started to fade they decided to look around again. Shannon's sparks seemed not to have been noticed. In this weather it was no miracle. The rain was like a wall letting nothing come through.

Ron was the last one in their row, but the first one to hear that something was following them. He touched Shannon who was walking in front of him slightly on her shoulder and pointed her to fall silent. The others stood still as well. It felt creepy but then a man walked up to them from behind the trees.

"Guys, where have you been all the time?" Harry said excitedly and caught up to the small group of people who were relieved to see that they hadn't been hunted by a wild animal.

"We… we seem to have lost our way… a little", Hermione admitted shamefully and didn't dare to look into Harry's eyes.

He shook his head amusedly. "A little? You've been walking into the completely wrong direction! When we saw those red sparks we could barely believe our eyes!"

"However", Ron tossed in, "It would be great if you could bring us to some safe place where it's warm and dry. I'm freezing over!"

Harry nodded, turned around and began to lead the way to the cave. It took them almost an hour to reach the cave. Hermione felt ashamed in the highest degree, but nobody seemed to be really angry at her.

XXX

The four new arrivals were greatly impressed by Black Manor as well, even though most of its splendor remained hidden in the darkness. While he had been waiting for the others Harry had ordered the about thirty house elves to prepare some guest rooms for his friends. The completely drenched friends took the chance to slip into dry clothes and warm up a little before they all went down into the great dining room where a remarkable feast was waiting for them.

When Hermione and Ron entered the room Harry was nowhere to be seen, but Voldemort was standing at the table looking very stately and seemed to wait for the visitors.

"He looks as if he's already the king of the castle", Ron whispered to Hermione who gave him a sharp jab with her elbow and a reproachful look. Harry entered the room together with Shannon and Severus. The potions master was in a far better mood now which made Hermione exhale in relief. You'd better not incite the anger of Severus Snape if you wanted to see the sunlight again – one of the unbreakable rules of Hogwarts.

"I permitted myself to let the house elves wield the cooking spoons", Harry revealed with a smile, "We'll lead a much better life here than at Grimmauld Place."

Shannon looked at Voldemort concerned and returned to Harry.

"What if the elves recognize him?" she wanted to know.

"Don't worry", Harry replied, "They haven't left the castle for more than hundred years, they know nothing about Voldemort."

"How come?" Ron asked puzzled.

"The protection charms around here are so powerful that even elves are not able to apparate", Harry explained, "But please sit down now."

In Hermione's eyes this was wrongful detention but she didn't want to argue about it now.

The table was laid for six persons and according to the amount of cutlery they noticed that Harry was about to do things in style this evening. Ron and Hermione sat down opposite to each other while Severus, after he had given Shannon a seat, found his place opposite to her. Harry presided at the head of the table, so only the chair at the other end was left for Voldemort.

"I always knew that the Blacks weren't poor", Ron mumbled with his mouth full, "But I never dreamed that they were able to such a huge castle!"

"Formerly the castle belonged to another wealthy blood line", Harry revealed, "Its last descendant married a member of the Black family about two hundred years ago. The Blacks haven't changed much of this place except for some necessary maintenance work. For example, there's a library somewhere in the castle that's said to contain some originals that can't be found anywhere else in the world."

At the word "library" Hermione's eyes lit up and Voldemort was interested as well. It seemed as if it wouldn't get boring here anytime soon.

"Does the whole island belong to you?" Shannon asked interestedly because she was very impressed by all the things she saw. Having grown up in a less than wealthy family she had always dreamed of living in an old castle.

Harry nodded affirmatively. "Yes, the whole island. The landholding is very extensive, there are large gardens and stuff like that. Feel free to look around tomorrow."

"How much of it lies under the protection charms?" Severus wanted to know.

"They protect the complete island and the lake", Harry explained which made Severus look contently.

Voldemort was the first to leave after the opulent meal. He hadn't eaten much and looked very exhausted, so he said goodnight and left the room with dragging steps. The others watched him with mixed emotions.

"He's so sad", Hermione said compassionately, "I think I will take care for him tomorrow to show him that Harry isn't the only one who likes him."

"Do you like him?" Ron asked incredulously.

"May you believe it or not – yes, I like him", Hermione admitted, "And I think we should stop making him feel like a fifth wheel if we really want to help him."

She could hardly overlook that nobody had talked to him while they were dining.

"Do we really want to help him?" Severus asked icily. He really regretted that he had helped him to escape from the prison since he knew that Voldemort had gained back his memories.

"Yes!" Harry said seriously, "We are here to help him. I have promised it to him and I will be damned if I break this promise!"

"I totally agree with you", Hermione confirmed Harry's point of view.

Severus sighed and stood up. "I think there's no use in discussing this right know and to be honest I'm much too tired to do this. If you'll excuse me I will go to bed now."

He looked at Shannon who nodded slightly and stood up as well, just like the others. After a short while there was nothing more to hear in the castle than the clatter of the elves tidying up the dining room.


	47. Touching

Between the mountains that surrounded the lake the sun rose slowly. Hermione hadn't slept well and left her bed early while Ron was still snoring, sleeping the sleep of the just. The young woman loved the morning hours when the whole world still seemed to lie in deep peace. Silently she sneaked along the countless corridors of the castle until she found a big balcony from where she could enjoy the sunrise.

When she stepped outside she realized that she wasn't the only one who had had this idea. At the balustrade there stood a tall figure in flowing dark robes who had turned his face to the sun and seemed to be totally lost in thought.

As Hermione didn't want to disturb Voldemort she silently closed up to him and turned to the sun, let the first light of morning warm her. How beautiful this place was as if it existed out of time and nothing was important.

"I have never before enjoyed a sunrise. I didn't know how wonderful it is", Voldemort said after an eternity so quietly and dreamy that she almost didn't hear him.

"Never?" Hermione asked unbelievingly, "I'm sorry for that…"

Voldemort seemed to lose himself in his thoughts again and remained silent. Hermione watched him from the corner of her eye. She could barely believe that this man had been the most terrifying dark wizard of all times just a few weeks ago. He looked so vulnerable which made her feel as if she had to protect him from the cruel world.

At first he had felt disturbed when the young woman had entered the balcony, but she was so quiet and polite that he had started to feel comfortable in her company. She seemed to understand the beauty of this moment. And she didn't laugh about the childish feelings he had shown her in a moment of recklessness. Instead she seemed to understand him.

"You don't sleep well, do you?" Hermione asked after a while when she wasn't able to stand the silence anymore.

"Dreams", he just said, "I can't find peace."

Hermione could hardly imagine how terrible his dreams surely were. Considering the state Harry had found the former Dark Lord in down in that prison, the memories surely tormented him endlessly. Herself she would have never been able to close her eyes again because of the fear of the dreams.

"Maybe Severus can brew a potion for you that can make you sleep dreamlessly", she suggested hopefully but Voldemort shook his head.

"I have to dream. I must not flee from the memories", he replied stubbornly.

Hermione really admired his will to strength and endurance, but if this man was just half as fragile as he looked to her, this attitude would destroy him sooner or later. She was sure of that.

"You mustn't torment yourself so much", she demanded concerned which made him look into her eyes for the very first time.

Hermione startled because of the heavy-hearted sadness she found in these blue eyes. It confirmed her about the fact that he overtaxed himself far too much.

"So many have suffered because of me…" His voice broke and he turned away from her again.

"But it will help nobody if you torment yourself. It doesn't change anything except that you destroy yourself!" Hermione stated rationally, while she looked at him intensely.

Voldemort looked out at the lake again and remained silent. He couldn't say anything else as long as he didn't have his emotions under control. Since he was able to remember he was utterly agitated and could barely think clearly. His emotions tended between depression and self-hatred all the time. And the thing he couldn't understand the least was that this young woman seemed to be concerned about him.

About him!

Hermione didn't do Voldemort the favour of leaving him alone. She knew that if she went away now she would never again have the chance to break through his walls this far. Besides he didn't mind her staying anyway.

"You have to take it slowly", she finally broke the silence.

He turned to her again but still didn't say anything.

"What about…", she finally brought herself to suggest, "…not spending the whole day agonizing in your room, but looking around the ands instead. Harry says there's much to see."

Voldemort still looked at her, now with a considerable amount of amazement in his eyes.

"I… I could accompany you", Hermione went on, feeling more and more uncomfortable because of his continued silence. His look became even more amazed.

"Are you serious?" he asked after thousand years of unnerving silence.

Hermione nodded. She knew that Ron would be anything but happy because she surely was part of his plans, but somehow she felt the need to help Voldemort. She couldn't say why but she would have regretted not to have given in to it.

Voldemort inhaled deeply, seemed to think about it and finally nodded. "Well, all right."

Hermione felt relieved that he had brought himself to this decision.

She didn't know how long they had already been standing on this balcony, but meanwhile dawn had disappeared and the golden sun hung in the blue sky where there were only a few small clouds to be seen.

"Come for breakfast", Hermione prompted Voldemort who surprisingly followed her back into the castle and down to the dining room without backchat.

In the meantime the others had come there as well. Harry was in a very good mood this morning and seemed to have many plans for today. Between Severus and Shannon the air was tingling so much that their affection for each other could almost be touched. Ron sat at the table a little sullenly with his back to the door, so he didn't see Voldemort and Hermione enter the room.

"Good morning!" Hermione said friendly, the others replied in the same relaxed way.

Voldemort walked past Hermione and sat down at the table where he was served an opulent breakfast by one of the elves immediately. He looked at him a little awkwardly because he felt uncomfortable being served. In his former life he had made so many people serve him, and now he realized how unwillingly those people had done it. But this elf didn't seem to have a problem with it.

Ron meaningfully looked from Voldemort to Hermione who received her breakfast as well, but he didn't say anything. When he had woke up he had wondered where his girlfriend had gone and he was even more surprised when she had entered the room with Voldemort. But because he didn't want to annoy her with his jealousy again he decided to remain silent.

Harry instead was glad that Hermione obviously had been talking to Voldemort. So she stood to the words she had said last night – that she wanted to take care for him. Doing this she relieved Harry very much who was glad that he didn't have to care for the most difficult patient of the world the whole day. Somehow the stay at Black Manor was good for all of them. He also had to refrain a smile every time he saw how Shannon's and Severus' eyes seemed to be glued together. The first time in many days the young wizard had the feeling that in the end all would be well.


	48. Mail from Hogwarts

They had just finished their breakfast and wanted to go outside when through one of the big windows an owl came flying into the dining room. It flew around the table once and then let some letters fall down before she left through the same window.

"How is the owl able to pass through all the protection charms?" Hermione asked baffled.

"There are some owls belonging to this house which can leave and return whenever they want", Harry explained, "I haven't found the time yet to find out why."

"Hey, they're from Hogwarts!" Ron shouted who had caught the letters, "One for Harry, Hermione and me."

He turned the fourth letter around and added in surprise: "And one for Severus!"

They all suddenly became aware of the fact that the new school year which would lead them all back to their familiar school wasn't far away anymore. The ministry had decided that they all should repeat the missing year and then graduate normally. All in all they agreed with this decision and they hoped that this final year wouldn't end up in any disaster again.

"It'll start in four weeks", Harry announced with mixed emotions, "That's the end of our lazy life!"

"And all the things we need…" Ron sighed and agonized if the Weasleys were able to afford all the school stuff another year.

XXX

While the young people were talking about when they wanted to be on their way to Diagon Alley Severus stood up and went outside. He had got a personal letter from Minerva McGonagall, the Head Mistress, and he wanted to read it alone. Not knowing what was awaiting him he broke the official Hogwarts seal and took a piece of parchment from the envelope.

_Severus,_

_I hope you're alright and everything is well._

_After minister Shacklebolt completely has cleared your name there's nothing to say against you coming back to Hogwarts to be a professor again. The position of the DADA teacher is still vacant, that's why I allow myself to offer it to you._

_Please let me know your decision as soon as possible, hence I can bear you in mind when making the lesson plan and the class schedules._

_I would be extraordinarily glad about a positive reply!_

_Kind regards_

_McGonagall_

Severus was more than surprised about this letter. On the one hand because he hadn't heard anything about his rehabilitation before, on the other because he hadn't assumed to ever be a teacher again. He wasn't quite able to make up his mind. To return to Hogwarts was more than tempting, even more because he hadn't decided yet how to go on with his life. On the other hand he would see Shannon only occasionally then as soon as she began to work as an auror in London again. He understood that he couldn't make this decision alone and that he had to talk to her about it. But when he thought that he almost was homesick for the old school castle he had to admit to himself that he had made up his mind already. Even though he had to accept the burden of spending his time with the most annoying students he ever had to teach: Harry, Ron and Hermione.

XXX

A few hours later Shannon and Severus were standing on the balcony of the room where they lived together and enjoyed the early autumn day holding each other close. Because they both knew the typical Scottish climate they knew that there were only a few sunny days left before the stormy and dark time began. They both were thankful that Harry had given them the chance to spend some days together in this beautiful place.

"Today I've got a letter from Hogwarts", Severus interrupted the silence. Shannon raised her head and looked into his eyes.

"What was it about?" she asked curiously.

"The head mistress offered me the position of the DADA teacher", he revealed, "If I accept it I will have to return to Hogwarts."

"That's really fantastic!" Shannon said happily, "Have you already accepted?"

Severus shook his head. "I didn't want to decide anything without talking to you before. Because you're working in London we wouldn't see each other very often then."

The woman smiled and tenderly wiped his chin long hair from his face while she looked at him full of love.

"Aw, Severus, it doesn't matter at all where we live", she sighed, "As an auror I'm not often at home anyway. I barely ever see London."

"So you would be alright if I accepted the job?" Severus asked hopefully because he liked the idea to work in Hogwarts again more and more.

"As long as I'm allowed to visit you in your gloomy dungeon now and then there's nothing to say against it", she gave him the desired answer. Saying this the auror winked at him mischievously.

He loved Shannon. He couldn't even tell how much he loved her. After being disappointed so much by Lily he never would have thought to be able to open his heart for a woman again, but the auror had conquered it so easily. He'd have loved to be with her every single minute, but this wasn't possible because they both had their obligations. But still there were a few free days left and there was nothing to say against them feeling and acting like teenagers in love.

Because Shannon had to deal with some ministry matters in the afternoon which she couldn't decline even though she was on holiday, Severus took the time to write his reply to Minerva McGonagall. He felt totally at peace when he watched the owl disappear which carried his letter away. He wouldn't have denied that he was looking forward to returning into his ordered life again.

_Dear Minerva,_

_I was very delighted by your letter. After thinking about it for a while I have decided to accept your generous offer. Please let me know if you need anything else from me. When do you expect me to return to Hogwarts?_

_Sincerely_

_Severus Snape_

He decided to travel to London in the next days to talk to the minister about his rehabilitation which he really knew nothing about. Then he would make a side trip to the school to talk to Minerva and to get back to his familiar dungeons.


	49. The Library

The Library

After breakfast Voldemort had left the dining room soon because the others didn't need him to talk about the start of the new school year. For a while he had walked the castle's corridors restlessly until he finally reached a massive portal with iron fittings. Curious about what he might find behind it he pushed the door open and entered a huge room that was only slightly illuminated by the sunlight which came through a high dome of glass on top of it. At the moment he closed the door the candles in the scones were lighted, so he could have an extensive view over the really vast room.

Voldemort had found the library Harry had mentioned last night, and he was impressed. Its grandeur could easily catch up with the library at Hogwarts.

Swirling up some dust he stepped to one of the bookshelves that reached many meters up to the ceiling. His hand touched the backs of several books while he was reading the titles with growing fascination. He pushed a brittle ladder from out of its corner to one of the highest shelves, but before he could climb it he had to wipe away some sticky cobwebs. He discovered countless books and pells, biographies, memorandums, tales – and spells and charms, lots of them, whose existence he never would have guessed. For the old Voldemort that would have been an inexhaustible source of perfidious ideas, but the new Voldemort's interest was only of a scientific nature.

For the first time after the battle of Hogwarts Voldemort really wondered anxiously if he still was a wizard. But without a wand he could hardly find out, and because of understandable reasons nobody would dare to give him such a device. They still mistrusted him far too much.

But no matter if he was a wizard or not – he would be able to spend a lot of time here and acquire knowledge he never had dreamed of. Besides he decided to tell Hermione about the library. He hoped to return a little of what she had given him this morning.

When he had finally come to this point he heard another person entering the library, and he wasn't surprised at all when he saw that it was Hermione who stood there with her mouth open while her wide eyes wandered along the countless shelves. Then she saw him and smiled which made him climb down the squeaky ladder and walk over to her.

"I've been looking for you", she let him know which made him look at her wondering.

"Well, we wanted to go for a walk", she reminded him of their conversation in the morning.

Because of his enthusiasm about the library he had totally forgotten their appointment.

"But if you like we can stay here and look around a little", she suggested when she looked into his eyes and understood.

Just like Voldemort she considered that this huge source of wisdom wanted to be explored urgently.

But because Hermione was such a down-to-earth witch she casted some spells at first to free the shelves from most of the dust. Later she would send some house elves here to clean up. It was totally irresponsible to leave this library in a squalid state like this!

"Whoever had used this library the last time..." Voldemort complained crumbling, "He didn't have any conception of order!"

Hermione agreed with him when she looked around the several shelves. Everything was in a mess. Somebody had put the books into the shelves without rhyme or reason. Voldemort decided to tidy up this place and to catalogue all the books, so people could be able to find what they were looking for.

"Do you want to help me tidying up here?" he asked very shyly and braced himself for her rejection which – to his surprise – didn't come.

"It would be an honour", she said honestly and gave him a warm smile.

He returned the smile shyly when he admitted to himself that he really was glad about her company.


	50. Ginny

Harry strolled down the narrow path that led directly to Shell Cottage. At this moment he realized how long he hadn't been here. The last days had gone by so fast. No wonder after all that had happened. When he entered the kitchen everybody was glad to see him.

"Harry! Nice to see you! Where have you been all the time?" Molly asked a little impatiently and hugged him.

"There's a lot to do before school starts", Harry explained cagey because he didn't want to tell them all about what had happened since he had been at Shell Cottage the last time.

He had a little more small talk with the others, then he left the house with Ginny to take a walk down at the beach. It had become stormy this afternoon, so the sea was very unruly. Harry enjoyed the drops of water from the foam that moisted his face. He took his girlfriend's hand and let himself fall into the moment for a while until she began to speak.

"Listen, Harry, why are you so secretive all the time? What's going on?" she asked and looked at him so intensely that he had to look away.

"As I said, very much has happened", he admitted, "Among other things I've moved to another place. Ron, Hermione and Severus are there as well at the moment."

"Moved?" Ginny asked in confusion, "Where?"

Harry smiled. "I'd like to show it to you. If you have time I would like to invite you for dinner tonight."

"What kind of question is that?" the young woman asked even more confused, "Of course I'd love to come!"

"But you have to promise me something", Harry demanded seriously, "Nobody will ever hear about this place, including your family. That's absolutely important!"

Ginny was more and more confused because she didn't understand her boyfriend's secretiveness at all.

"Why?" she thus wanted to know.

Harry sighed. "As soon as you've arrived there you will understand. Please believe me."

Ginny nodded and for a few minutes they just watched the incoming waves until Harry turned to her again.

"I'm very sorry that I didn't get in touch for so long", he apologized himself honestly, "I hope you forgive me."

Harry asking for forgiveness seemed a little peculiar to her but she didn't want to refuse.

"You surely had your reasons", she accepted his apology. He hugged her tightly and kissed her tenderly. She knew that waiting for Harry would always be worth it, no matter what he had done.

"Come", he said, "I hope you don't mind apparating?"

"You know that I always get sick…" Ginny reminded her boyfriend and looked a little disgusted.

Harry just laughed and took her hand – then they already were on their way.

Ginny hadn't been prepared for Harry's spontaneous apparation, so she felt a little dizzy when they arrived. Harry reached out for her and she thankfully grabbed his arm.

"You should have warned me!" she scolded but she wasn't really mad at him because she never had been able to be mad at him for long. Besides the place where they had apparated was just gorgeous.

Harry gave her time to gaze at the surroundings which, as he had to admit, surely belonged to the most beautiful places in the world. After a while he took her hand to lead her through the forest which was still filled with the scent of the last rain.

"Is this going to be a picnic, or why are we walking through the forest all the time?" Ginny wanted to know after a while, but Harry just smiled a little.

"Just a little more patience", he said secretively, "We will arrive very soon."

Actually they really only had to walk for a few more minutes until they arrived at the secret entrance to the cave. Ginny was wondering more and more about where Harry wanted to bring her to. All of this felt quite odd, even more when they started to walk through a gloomy and dark cavern.

"Here we are!" Harry said triumphantly when they finally arrived at the portkey.

Ginny looked around suspiciously and slowly began to doubt Harry's sanity. Albeit he took her hand, touched the portkey and together they were transported to the dungeons of Black Manor. Ginny, totally fascinated what was happening to her, followed him silently up the stairs and entered the courtyard. When she realized where she had come to her eyes became wider and wider because of her astonishment.

"You're living here?" she asked totally dumbfounded, "Seriously?"

"Yeah", Harry confirmed, "I'm living here. Welcome to Black Manor!"

"Black Manor?" Ginny finally got a clue, "You've got all of this from Sirius?"

"Yes, indeed", Harry admitted.

"It's gorgeous!" the young woman said in pure admiration and looked around. A place so beautiful like this she had never been before. Even Hogwarts couldn't catch up with it.

"Come!" Harry prompted her, "The elves are getting angry when dinner grows cold. The others are surely already waiting."

Ginny nodded and turned to the main entrance on top of a very impressing staircase. Suddenly she screamed and pushed Harry behind her hastily while she whipped out her wand.

"What is it?" he asked in confusion, but then realized the reason for Ginny's reaction standing next to the open portal.

"What is HE doing her?" she screamed scaredly, "As far as I know he should be dead!"

Harry put an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and stroked her upper arm soothingly. He could almost touch her horror.

"Ginny", he tried to calm her down, "You don't have to worry because of him. He's no longer the man he used to be. It is very complicated and I will explain everything to you. But he is the reason why I have to hide here."

Ginny looked at her boyfriend in utter confusion because she just wasn't capable to understand what was going on here. The man there on top of the staircase was Lord Voldemort, there was no doubt. Lord Voldemort who had tried to kill them all not long ago. But now it was not only that the presumed dead man was still alive, no, she even saw herself confronted with the fact that Harry – Harry of all people! – hid him in his house.

Harry took her hand again and almost had to pull her up the stairs because she was so totally horrified by the figure next to the entrance that she was barely able to move. He didn't know Voldemort's reason for waiting outside, but it surely was important.

"We've been worrying", Voldemort let Harry know when they finally reached the entrance. By now Harry realized that he hadn't said a word to anyone about where he went and that he was going to bring somebody with him.

Ginny shivered when she was so close to the putative Dark Lord that she would have been able to touch him. Just hearing his voice made her shudder. She hoped with all her heart that Harry had a good explanation for all of this!

The three of them entered the dining room where the others were already waiting. The elves who had been told about the guest Harry had invited set a place for her, she could smell the scent of a very delicious meal. Ron was surprised and glad to see his sister so unexpectedly, that's why he welcomed her with a tight hug.

"So, for all of you who don't yet know", Harry began, "This is my girlfriend, Ginny…. Ginny, you already know Severus…"

"Severus?" she asked baffled and looked thoughtfully at the former teacher whom she wouldn't have expected here.

He just nodded at her but didn't say a word. Yet another of his students…

"And this is Shannon", Harry introduced the auror who shook her hand over the table, "She's an auror at the ministry and has helped us with… a very complicated matter."

Ginny was well aware about that special matter, thus she glanced at Voldemort but didn't make eye contact.

"Well, and you already know him…" Harry finished the introduction pointing at Voldemort, then he helped Ginny to sit down. She still wasn't quite sure about what was happening to her.

In the moment they all had taken place the elves began to serve the dinner. Ginny could hardly believe her eyes when she saw the abundance of food. At home she had never had an opulent meal like this. Harry really was lucky for his heritage.

During the meal Ginny slowly relaxed. Because Voldemort didn't try to kill anyone Harry seemed to have told the truth about him. She was extremely curious about this story.

After dinner everybody went in their own direction until Harry and Ginny were the last ones to leave. He took her by the hand like he often did and led her to a lovely furnished fireplace room which had some similarities with the Gryffindor common room at Hogwarts. In front of the fireplace, where a warming fire was crackling, there was a very used looking sofa standing.

"Come, let's sit down", Harry suggested and Ginny sat down next to him.

For a while they just enjoyed being together, watched the flames and were happy to have each other again. But then Ginny broke the silence because she couldn't stand her curiosity any longer.

"Harry", she said cautiously which made him look at her attentively, "Please explain me that thing about Voldemort. What made him become so meek? And why is he still alive?"

Harry knew that he wouldn't be able to escape from Ginny's questions. And because he was hoping that she would stay at Black Manor for a while, maybe even for the rest of the summer, he had to tell her the truth. Thus he began to tell her everything, beginning at the point when he had left for London on his firebolt. Ginny was utterly intrigued and could hardly believe what she heard. But it had to be true, otherwise Harry wouldn't have looked so seriously all the time while he was speaking.

"Would you keep this secret?" he asked hopefully after he was done with his explanations.

She only nodded. Of course she would keep this secret. Her time inside this wondrous castle was surely going to be very interesting.


	51. Into the Sun

…into the sun

Hermione had spent the morning looking around the countryside where she had met Harry and Ginny too. The gardens and parks that belonged to Black Manor were huge enough to lose one's way easily. Harry had showed her something much more interesting than the gardens which made a spontaneous idea come to Hermione's mind. She strode back to the castle and into the library where she found Voldemort reading different books at the same time.

"Voldemort, I want to show you something! You will really like it!" she shouted breathlessly which made him look at her in surprise.

"What is it?" he wanted to know, hardly being able to fight back his curiosity.

Hermione smiled. "Just come with me."

Because Voldemort wasn't very fond of surprises he didn't want to go with her, but she just walked over to him and took his hand.

"Hey, come on!" she said impatiently and pulled him by the sleeve of his robes, "You won't be killed or so!"

Because he had no other choice he stood up and followed Hermione outside. After he had been sitting in the library the whole morning the sunlight almost blinded him. He stood still until his eyes got used to the brightness and then followed Hermione down some small stairs that led from the castle's west wing down to a wild garden. One of the house elves was mowing the lawn at the moment – it was definitely necessary. The young woman hurried ahead a winding path until they finally reached a low fence a few minutes later. Harry was leaning at the gate and looked very relaxed.

"Could we go in?" Hermione asked and looked at Harry pleadingly.

He nodded. "Yes, of course, but don't scare him. Do you still know how to handle him?"

Hermione nodded confirmatively and pushed Voldemort forward. Harry just smiled and closed the gate behind them. They had to walk around an old warped tool shed and turn around a corner –and then they saw him.

"May I introduce?" Hermione said with a smile, "This is Buckbeak!"

Voldemort looked at the hippogrip interestedly. It was a tall and noble creature. Standing there among the trees twitching leaves from the branches he looked astonishingly tame.

"How did you get a hippogrip?" Voldemort asked bewilderedly.

Hermiones smile became even wider.

"We saved his life a few years ago, since then he has a home here", she explained.

Voldemort knew how to handle creatures like this. Over the years he had learned a lot about magical creatures which had been useful many times. He walked up to the hippogrip cautiously who looked at him only slightly interested. Voldemort bowed low to him to show him his respect. Hermione was amazed by this gesture because it showed her once more how much Voldemort had actually changed.

The hippogrip moved over to Voldemort with growing interest. He looked at him in a way that seemed to reach deep inside of the man's soul. When Buckbeak finally lowered his head to him Voldemort straightened up and dared to walk the last few meters. He lifted his hand cautiously to touch the hippogrip's head who cooed and seemed to feel comfortable. Hermione was by all means fascinated about the way Buckbeak reacted to Voldemort. She had hoped but hadn't believed that they would become friends so easily.

"Is he able to fly?" Voldemort asked shyly and Hermione was sure to hear a deep desire in his voice. She only nodded.

He touched the hippogrip's neck gently who understood what he was supposed to do. He bowed his knees to give Voldemort the chance to sit on his back. When Voldemort had made himself comfortable he touched Buckbeak's neck again.

The hippogrp cawed, took a run-up and then took off. Those creatures already looked amazing on the ground, but they looked even more amazing in flight. It was almost unbelievable how elegantly that big creature moved.

Voldemort held on to Buckbeak until he had reached a certain height and began to glide. Then he let go, widened his arms and enjoyed the wind playing with his robes. He raised his head, closed his eyes and flew into the sun. He shouted out all the joy he felt in this very moment.

He was free!

Hermione watched the hippogrip circling above the lake. When she saw how much Voldemort enjoyed the flight she was totally sure that she had had the perfect idea. Even from the distance she noticed that he was able to let go all the fears that captivated him all the time. She was so glad about that little piece of freedom she had given Voldemort that she felt a shiver running down her spine.

"Your idea was fantastic, Hermione!" Harry determined in appreciation. He had suddenly appeared next to her and now watched Voldemort and the hippogrip as well.

"I think he's very happy at the moment", she revealed in a whisper, still with a smile.

"Tell him he can fly with Buckbeak whenever he wants to", Harry offered.

"Thank you", Hermione replied, thankful for this friendly gesture of Harry's.

She looked up to the sky again while Harry went back to the castle.

Later Hermione couldn't have said how long she had actually been standing there just enjoying that beautiful moment, secretly participating Voldemort's joy. She was caught in the moment so much that she was almost startled when Buckbeak finally prepared for landing and almost ran her down. She jumped to the side laughing.

Voldemort descended from the hippogrip's back and thanked him with a low bow. Buckbeak bowed as well and disappeared into his grove. Obviously he had enjoyed the flight as much as Voldemort who walked up to Hermione. She was happy to see no sorrow in his face for the moment.

"Thank you", he said profoundly touched.

Hermione cleared her throat to shake off the awkwardness.

"You can come here anytime", she passed Harry's offer to him. Voldemort really seemed to like it.

The way he stood there and looked at her, the way he let her take part in his moment of joy almost made her cry. Giving in to a spontaneous feeling she walked over to him and hugged him. Voldemort was confused at first, then he returned the hug cautiously. It was the first time in his life somebody hugged him voluntarily, that's why he felt a little helpless. They parted in slight embarrassment.

"Should we go back to the library?" Hermione asked to shake off her uncertainty.

He nodded confirming, then they made their way back to the castle together. Underway Hermione told him all sorts of things and he listened fascinatedly. He appreciated her friendship very much.

When they entered the castle through the same door they had left it before they decided to directly return to the library. There was a lot of work waiting for them.

What they didn't see was Ron who was standing at a window and noticed to a nicety how intimate Hermione and Voldemort behaved towards each other.


	52. Suspicion

Suspicion

Hermione stayed in the library with Voldemort until late at night. There were so many fascinating books to be found that she just wasn't able to leave. After a while Voldemort had given her the friendly advice not to forget that there was somebody waiting for her. Hermione was astonished by all means that Voldemort was concerned about her private life, but he was indeed right, because she really had neglected Ron during the last few days. The reason was the library which was a real paradise for her, but she also had to admit to herself that she really enjoyed being with Voldemort. Now she thanked him for his advice and made her way to the rooms where she lived with Ron. He was busy sorting his autograph cards of the Chudley Cannons, his preferred Quidditch team, when Hermione entered the room.

At first he ignored her, but Hermione could see clearly that there was something on his mind.

"Hey Ron, I'm back!" she said after he had been silent for quite a while. Now he had no choice but looking at her.

"Ah, already finished?" he asked irritated.

"Finished?" she replied in confusion, "Oh, the books! No, not yet! This is a mega-project, it will need lots of time."

"Well, you seem to be in best company", he said slowly and looked at Hermione seriously.

She frowned. "Do you want to tell me something special, Ron?"

Ron remained silent while he sorted his cards accurately into a small wooden box. In the moment Hermione wanted to turn around angrily to go to the bathroom he finally decided to say something.

"I've seen you and Voldemort. You seem to be best friends already", he murmured icily.

Jealousy dropped from his words and started to make up a puddle that was about to separate the both of them.

"He's just a friend!" she said and looked at Ron irritated.

"A friend, huh?" he growled, "Are you holding hands with all of your friends?"

Ron narrowed his eyes while he spat out those words one by one looking at Hermione provocatively.

"Ron, what is this rubbish all about?" Hermione asked without understanding.

Now she got angry. She really loved Ron but she knew that his jealousy would make her freak out one day.

Ron snorted. "You call that rubbish?"

He had stood up, his voice now louder and very angry. He seemed as if he wanted to dart at her.

"I don't know what it is that you like about him, or what he wants from you! But you should make up your mind who you want to be with!" he shouted.

Hermione shook her head vigorously and pushed her hair back – a scene like this was really all she needed at this late hour!

"Voldemort doesn't want anything from me and I don't want anything from him", she determined, "We just share our passion for books. And this morning I have taken him to the lake to give him the chance to clear his mind. He needs a friend, and besides Harry and me nobody cares about him!"

While speaking her voice had become louder and louder, she was barely able to hold down her anger. Ron was at the same level of anger already, his face almost had the color of his hair.

"But I think it just isn't OK that you spend more time with him than with me! You shouldn't forget what he's done to us in all those years!" he scolded.

Now he had said it and he looked at Hermione anxiously while he was breathing heavily.

Hermione let herself fall onto a chair and looked at her boyfriend, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Ron", she began calmingly and looked at him very seriously, "You know that I love you, and you know that you're my one and only. But you also know that I can't ignore a person who needs help. I promise you that there's nothing between Voldemort and me and that there will never be something. But I want to tidy up the library with him and I want to help him to find back into a normal life. I beg you to understand this."

She had looked at him so seriously and full of love that he was almost ashamed of his tantrum. He nodded and looked a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm so full of fear that I could lose you", he admitted and lowered his head.

She stood up and walked over to him, embraced him and hugged him tightly.

"You will never lose me, Ronald Weasley", she promised.

She drowned his reply in her kiss and he knew that he could believe and trust her. Always.


	53. Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation

The Ministry finally seemed to have overcome the chaos of the last days, Severus noticed when he stepped out of one of the chimneys to enter the atrium. As usual it was full of people running around and shouting, so nobody noticed him entering one of the lifts. He could hardly stand the closeness caused by the other people while the lift carried him through the subterranean tunnels of the Ministry. He vigorously wiped away some of the memos that were bustling around everywhere and was glad when he finally reached his destination. He left the lift and walked down a short corridor. At its end stood a huge desk, behind it the usual woman with the orange chignon hairstyle who seemed to wait for victims.

Without wasting time on politeness Severus immediately came to the point. "Is Kingsley in his office? I have to talk to him!"

The woman sighed disinterestedly and looked at him with her mean little eyes.

"Do you have an appointment?" she snared.

Severus rummaged around under his robes and finally found a very official looking piece of parchment. He held it right in front of her pointy nose.

"This letter is from the Minister, but there is nothing about an appointment written down", she let him know with a smile as sweet as sugar.

Severus had never been patient, so he whipped out his wand and aimed it at the secretary's nose angrily.

"Believe me", he said dangerously, "If I need an appointment I will have one."

The secretary had that awkward feeling that this visitor surely wouldn't accept any contradiction, that's why she found herself confronted with a big dilemma. Either she disturbed the Minister and provoked his anger, or she risked that this gloomy man transfigured her into something horrible. After weighing the odds for a while she made up her mind to the less dangerous decision, stood up and knocked at Shacklebolt's door. When the Minister called her in Severus pushed her away in a very ungentle way and entered the room.

"Severus!" Kingsley said in surprise, "Nice to see you!"

Severus nodded at the Minister and sat down when he was prompted to.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Kingsley asked curiously.

"A few days ago I got a letter from headmistress McGonagall", Severus let the other man know. "She mentioned you had cleared my name, but unfortunately I don't know anything about this matter."

Shacklebolt sighed and looked a little embarrassed. "There's so much going on here these days… I'm afraid somebody forgot to send you a letter", he sighed again, "But yes, it's true. As I promised you when I asked you to help us with our special problem I took all efforts to clear your name. You're a normal member of the wizarding society again. My congratulations."

The Minister leaned back on his chair and relaxed while he watched Severus who seemed to be very puzzled.

"How was that possible? Nobody knows about this… special problem anymore…" Severus wanted to know without hiding his curiosity.

"Oh, I've made contact to some absolutely trustworthy witnesses for the defiance", Kingsley revealed with a grin, "Apart from this the wizgamot has far too much work with all those Death Eaters anyway."

"You're speaking in riddles, Kingsley, so I suppose I'll never know the full story", Severus said calmly.

Kingsley nodded. "If I told you I would have to kill you. And that wouldn't be useful for anyone." He still was grinning.

"Well, than the only thing I can do is to say thank you. I really appreciate what you have done for me", Severus determined and felt a wave of thankfulness rushing through his body.

"How's the special case doing?" Kingsley asked in a very conspiratorial way.

"He's safe and on the road to recovery", Severus let him know.

Kingsley knew that Severus wouldn't reveal anything else and accepted it. The less he knew the better it was for him after all.

"I'm just glad that we can finally leave all of this behind", he just sighed.

Then they talked about the annoying false alarm and about Severus' plans for the future, before he finally said goodbye. There were some more tasks on his list today…


	54. Magic

Magic

Hermione stood at the top of the unsound ladder and rummaged around in a very untidy bookshelf high above the floor. Voldemort watched her now and then in concern because he didn't put the slightest trust in this ladder. He considered it life-endangering, but she wasn't deterred by his words at all.

"Here are some books that are supposed to be older than the castle!" she shouted enthusiastically down to Voldemort who was writing a register and index cards for the books in the shelves they had already tidied up.

He liked his job as the new librarian. On one hand he enjoyed the books and on the other hand he was finally able to do something useful.

"What kind of books are they?" he wanted to know curiously.

The ceiling was so high that he had to raise his voice to enable Hermione to understand his words.

Hermione opened the book she held in her hands and blew some dust from the pages.

"It's all written in Latin!" she replied a little disappointed, "I don't understand a word, but it looks like spells!"

"When you're done up there bring that book to me please", the new librarian said, "I speak Latin fluently. And ancient spells are surely highly interesting!"

Hermione admired Voldemort more and more every day. He was very sophisticated, spoke dozens of languages and knew almost everything about all kinds of wizardry. She was only confused by the fact that he didn't seem to have the slightest interest to begin performing magic again. She had offered him her wand once, just to let him give it a try, but he had declined. She supposed that he was scared of finding out that he lost his magic.

While Voldemort patiently wrote some more index cards, Hermione continued climbing around on the sky-high bookshelves, where she found lots of little treasures. After a while she reached a shelf where some ancient rolls of parchment were kept. She picked one of them carefully and unrolled it even more carefully.

"Voldemort!" she shouted down to him excitedly. He looked up to her immediately.

"Did you explore something new?" he asked curiously.

"I've found some parchments from Godric Gryffindor!" she revealed and was glad to see that Voldemort was interested.

"Please bring it to me along with the other book", he demanded with a smile and watched her a few moments climbing around on the shelves. Then he turned back to his index cards.

Just a few moments later he startled and turned around when he heard a shriek. He saw that Hermione seemed to have lost her grip to the ladder and now fell down to the hard and surely merciless floor. At the same moment he raised his left hand instinctively while in his head silently the words of a spell were forming. The spell stopped Hermione's fall and let her glide to the ground safe and sound.

Hermione, just having escaped death, stood up, still shivering because of the shock, and looked at Voldemort in amazement. He looked at his hand with the same kind of amazement in his eyes.

"Voldemort, you've casted a spell!" she determined awestruck, her voice sounded almost tenderly. She was so proud of him.

He just nodded slightly, unable to speak. Over the last weeks he had always tried to convince himself that he wasn't able to perform magic anymore, that his magic had died with his former self. At the very beginning of his time in the prison he had tried out some spells, but had known that they couldn't work without a wand. Now he was so totally amazed by himself that he could hardly comprehend. Hermione walked over and looked at him with pride in her eyes.

"I've always told you that you can still do it!" she said triumphantly.

"But without my wand…" Voldemort murmured.

Every word was proof for his complete astonishment about himself.

"You're one of the most gifted wizards of all times", Hermione explained sternly, full of excitement. "I've heard people talk that you're able to do things without a wand even a wizard like Dumbledore wasn't able to, and that you never had to speak a word to cast a spell if you wanted to."

In Voldemort's head there were so many thoughts at feelings. He realized that the true reason for always telling himself not to be able to use his magic anymore was that deep inside he was scared by his own powers. But as he felt the newly found magic making its way through his body he was indescribably happy. Now he knew how much he had missed his magic.

"What are you going to do now?" Hermione asked cautiously after she had given him time to get used to the new situation.

He looked at her in confusion but then he understood.

"Hermione, that doesn't change anything! I promise! I'll never use the dark arts again!" he assured her.

Voldemort looked into the young woman's eyes seriously and hoped with all his heart that she believed him. He made an oath to himself to never abuse his skills again. Hermione could read in his eyes that she could trust him totally.

"There's something else", she broke the silent conversation, "You've saved my life, do you know that?"

The wizard was so amazed by his recent recovery that he had just forgotten about that fact.

"You would have done the same for me", he determined and didn't have the slightest doubt.

"Thank you, Voldemort", she said quietly, affectionately.

Then she hugged him tightly, her heart so full of gratitude that she wasn't able to explain him how much it meant to her.

After a while she raised her head to look into his blue eyes before she kissed him tenderly. He enjoyed the intimacy for a moment but then he pushed her away, carefully but determined.

"I'm glad to have been quick enough to save your life, Hermione", he said sternly.

She looked at him anxiously. Of course she knew that she had gone too far when she had allowed her feelings to overcome her mind.

"I promise that his kiss will stay in here", he continued gently and put a hand on his heart. "But we should never repeat this, because you belong to somebody who loves you very much."

Hermione nodded and was by all means ashamed of her behavior towards that man who was so steadfastly and sincere. But she wasn't sure about her feelings for Voldemort anymore, she saw much more than a friend in him for quite a while now.

But he was right – she belonged to Ron!

Voldemort gave her a silent, tender smile, then he turned around to continue his work on the index cards. Hermione stood at the same spot for several minutes, trying to get back control over her feelings. Then the practical side of her broke through.

"You know what, Voldemort?" she asked the wizard, following a spontaneous idea.

He turned around and looked at her slightly confused, prompted her to continue.

"You need a wand!" she explained full of thirst for action, "What happened to yours?"

Voldemort pondered for a while. Before he had found the Elder Wand, he remembered, he had required Lucius Malfoy's wand. He remembered sadly why he hadn't wanted to use his own anymore – it was a twin of Harry Potter's wand, that's why he hadn't been able to kill him with it. Another point he was so totally ashamed of. He still couldn't understand the madness that once had obsessed him, and somehow he knew he would never ever understand it. Voldemort shook his head reluctantly to get rid of those bad thoughts, then he continued agonizing. Where for all the world had he left his wand?

"The last place I've seen it was Malfoy Manor", he finished his reflections, "But that was a year ago, maybe more…"

Hermione pondered. At Malfoy Manor of all places he had lost his wand! Nobody could go there and ring at the door to ask random questions like 'Hey, it's me! I just wanted to know if I may borrow Voldemort's wand!' She had to talk to her friends about the matter, maybe they could solve the problem together.

While she was agonizing Voldemort had turned back to his work. She felt that he had already given up the chance of holding his own wand again.

"We'll find a way!" she whispered conspiratorially but he just shrugged.

"We should not think about it today, it's getting late", he said and hoped it sounded more careless than he felt.

She knew what he wanted to tell her. It was about time for her to call it a day and return to her boyfriend who surely was already waiting for her.

"Voldemort", she said tenderly before she left the library, "Thank you. For everything."

He understood and gave her a smile. Then she closed the door behind her and hurried up to Ron who really was already waiting for her.

"So you found some new ancient books?" he asked with a grin and embraced her passionately.

Hermione just nodded and returned his embrace, held him close and breathed the fragrance of his hair that she loved so much. She was endlessly thankful to Voldemort that he had shown her so unselfishly where she belonged.


	55. Perfidious Plans

Perfidious plans

After Severus and Shannon had left in the early morning – she had gone to the Ministry, he had gone to Hogwarts – only the students and Voldemort remained at the breakfast table. Voldemort had already finished his breakfast and now was stroking Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, who had made himself comfortable in the man's lap and didn't look like leaving this place all too soon.

"Guys, there's something we have to talk about, and it's good that Severus isn't here at the moment", Hermione put the spot on a special topic that was stuck in her head. Something Voldemort hadn't been mentioning again after the accident in the library.

"What is it?" Ron asked with his mouth full while he indulged himself with another bowl of cornflakes.

"Voldemort's wand!" Hermione revealed. She had never been fond of beating around the bush.

As Voldemort heard his own name he returned from his world of thoughts and raised his head, tried to tell her with his eyes that he didn't want to discuss this matter. But she ignored him because it was important to her.

"What about it?" Ginny asked confused. Just like the others she didn't yet know that the former Dark Lord had gained his magic back. Since the library incident he hadn't used it anymore.

"Well…" Hermione started and looked a little embarrassed, "Every wizard should have one, right?"

Voldemort closed his eyes defeated and sighed silently, put his focus back on the cat and decided to live through this because it wasn't possible to stir Hermione from her resolve.

"But he can't do magic anymore, can he?" Ron asked, totally ignoring the fact that the one they were talking about was sitting at the same table.

"Just because he doesn't use magic doesn't mean that he can't!" Hermione said stubbornly.

Three puzzled looking pairs of eyes looked at Voldemort full of discomfort who looked to the side deliberately and pretended to only pay attention to the ball of fur on his lap.

"Hermione…" Ron said slowly, "Do you consider this a good idea? I mean, well… you know what he's done with his wand back then…"

"How do you know that he's able to do magic again?" Harry wanted to know while he ignored Ron's objection because he didn't want to discuss it now.

Hermione cleared her throat and looked at Voldemort who was still looking away, then she admitted: "A few days ago I fell off the ladder in the library and he caught me with magic. If he didn't react so fast I would be dead now…"

Ron eyed Voldemort suspiciously who felt more and more discomfortable – he didn't want this discussion to happen at all.

"I don't like that", Ron explained, "We shouldn't let him perform magic again! Sure, I'm thankful that he saved you, Hermione, but be honest…"

Voldemort put the reluctantly meowing cat on the floor, then he stood up and looked at his table companions.

"Because you're talking about me as if I weren't there anyway I will go now and continue with my work in the library", he said without accusation and hurried out of the room.

Hermione looked after him, shocked about how much they had hurt him.

"Would you please stop to mistrust and accuse him for things he would never do, for crying out loud!" she shouted angrily after the door had slammed behind him.

"After all he was the worst dark wizard of all times", Ron justified himself, "I still don't believe that there is nothing left inside of him! I don't trust him at all!"

Harry rubbed his eyes and stared at Ron with an inevitable look.

"So I have to assume that you don't trust me as well?" he asked slowly.

He said the words randomly as if he was talking about the weather. Ron stared at him in consternation.

"Wait… What? Of course do I trust you, Harry! I'm your friend!" he said indignantly.

"There's a good reason why Voldemort is here", Harry explained calmly, "I know him, I've been talking to him and I have seen his soul. I trust him unconditionally and you should do the same."

Ron was well aware that he had put himself into an uncomfortable situation. Of course it had never been his intention to snub Harry, but as usual he hadn't been able to keep his mouth shut. He cleared his throat, pushed his hand through his ruffled red hair and decided that it would be for the better to trust his friend. After all Harry had always known whom to trust.

"Alright", he said peaceably and looked at Hermione, "How do you want to approach that wand problem?"

"He remembered that he had seen it at Malfoy Manor the last time", Hermione explained, "And because the Malfoy's always were his most loyal minions, I suppose the wand is still there."

Harry frowned. "That's not easy. I surely can't send an owl to Draco to ask him to give me the wand."

"I agree", Hermione replied seriously, "That's why we have to look around there ourselves."

"Hardly likely", Harry determined, "The Malfoys are very distrustful. If we pop up there and ask if we may look for something, they would surely snap…"

"That's why we have to get in there unseen, look for the wand and leave unnoticed", Hermione explained her plan.

"You want to burgle Malfoy Manor?" Ron shouted so startled that he almost pushed his bowl of cornflakes from the table.

Hermione nodded meaningfully.

"I'm sure they have very forceful protection charms there", Ginny tossed in, "Nobody is able to get through to the house."

Hermione pondered. "Maybe I've got an idea…"

"Aren't you afraid to run out of ideas some day?" Ron asked, Hermione replied with an irritated glance.

Then she turned to Harry. "House elves can apparate everywhere, as far as I know."

Harry grinned. "The idea is totally crazy, Hermione! Even if one of our elves would agree to apparate with us into the manor, we don't have the slightest clue where to search. The house is huge and full of mysteries. I don't think a simple 'Accio wand' would help us."

"I know", Hermione replied, "But It's our only chance to return his wand to Voldemort. I mean, a wizard without a wand – that's just not right!"

"When he caught you in the library he didn't need one", Ron pointed out who didn't like these thoughts at all.

To believe Harry that Voldemort had somehow turned into a good person was one thing, but to burgle the house of former Death Eaters because of him was something very different.

"That's totally different, Ron", Hermione said angrily, "I will try it anyway. Help me or don't, it's on you."

"These days we only would meet Draco or his mother there. I've heard they sent Lucius to Azkaban for some years", Harry pondered while Ron was staring at his girlfriend in horror.

"I'm sure we're able to manage that", Hermione shouted full of thirst for action but Harry was skeptical.

"Have you ever asked Voldemort if he wants to do this?" he asked thoughtfully, "To me he looked as if this whole matter is very uncomfortable for him."

"As long as all of you are so suspicious he surely would never dare to ask", Hermione said and was absolutely sure of her words.

"Assuming we find the wand and return it to him", Ginny tossed in, "What would we do if – purely hypothetical – he gets into mischief again? I mean, he's still a very powerful wizard."

"He won't", Hermione said self-confidently.

"But if?" Ron sided with his sister.

"He won't! Not to mention the fact that if he wanted to he surely had got himself a wand already!" Hermione slowly got angry.

Harry leaned back and lifted his hands trying to reassure the others. "I agree with Hermione about that. But I have another question: Why not go and buy Voldemort a new wand? That would be much easier!"

"Do you want to take him to Olivander's?" Ginny giggled and couldn't help but grin when she imagined Voldemort entering the wandmaker's shop.

They all looked at each other meaningfully.

"No!" they shouted with one voice.

"So it's Malfoy Manor…" Ron sighed defeated.

Harry nodded. "But we have to make a plan."

"And we shouldn't tell Severus for the moment", Hermione suggested, "I'm sure he would freak out if he knew about it…"


	56. New Ally

When Severus stepped through the grand main portal of the school castle he had that comfortable but awkward feeling of coming home. Because he wasn't in a hurry he decided to walk around the corridors for a while to find out how far the renovation works had already come. The worst damages in the Great Hall had already been fixed, so there was not much left to be seen of the horrid fight a few weeks ago. Caretaker Filch was busy sweeping the corridors between the long rows of tables where there was still a lot of debris lying around.

"Ah, Professor Snape", he greeted the teacher briefly, "Back to duty again?"

"Obviously", the professor replied in the same way briefly before he left the hall to visit some of the classrooms that had been damaged the most. There the traces of the battle were vanishing as well.

Severus was glad to finally be here again, and he was even more glad about the fact of not being the headmaster anymore. He had hated that job and only had taken it because the Dark Lord had told him unmistakably what he expected from him.

After his round tour which satisfied him very much he went down to the dungeons. They hadn't really been touched by the battle, a fact Severus really liked. He loved tidiness but he hated to tidy up.

He had already cleared away the stuff he had needed for potions class before he had done his first Defense against the Dark Arts class. But since then the classroom looked very provisionally, a state he had to change immediately. When he started to equip the room with all kinds of bizarre objects from his own belongings he realized that he almost had fun with it. Back in time he had never had fun at anything, but Shannon really seemed to have changed him. He thought of her tenderly and just stood there deep in thoughts for a while.

Severus entered the corridor when he heard footsteps from there and found himself in front of Minerva McGonagall.

"Severus, I didn't know that you've already arrived", she noticed in surprise.

"I was about to report to you later, I just wanted to look over my rooms first", he explained his doings.

He realized in surprise that McGonagall really seemed to be glad to see him.

"Well, there's something I wanted to ask you", she said thoughtfully what alerted him all of a sudden.

As he remained silent she continued. "I miss some items from the headmaster's office which belonged to Albus. I was hoping you could know something about them."

"What items are you talking about?" he asked carefully.

"It's especially the pensieve", she replied, "It's extraordinarily precious. I hope none of those Death Eaters has stolen it!"

Severus agonized frantically. Where had he seen that thing the last time? He only knew that he had packed it away and taken it with him after Harry had shown them his memories of Voldemort.

"I've seen the pensieve", he said casually, "It's kept safe."

McGonagall looked at him in confusion. "And where do you keep it?"

"In a safe place", Severus replied briefly. She understood very well that he wasn't willing to tell her about that place.

"Well, because it was part of Albus' personal property I will suppose that it's his will that you keep it", she stated.

The way she said it told Severus plainly that she didn't really trust his words, but he just shrugged.

"However", she went on peaceably, "Welcome back to Hogwarts!"

Severus gave her a thin smile and nodded. When she finally had left he allowed himself to exhale. He had to find out urgently where he had left that damn pensieve before he found himself confronted with some more of McGonagall's questions. He hurried to his hidden room and rummaged around in it for a while. He was sure that he hadn't brought the pensieve back into this room but it was surely not the worst idea to look around here anyway. As he had expected he had no success, that's why he decided to continue his search at Grimmauld Place. Because he didn't want to walk in there without permission he sent an owl to Harry.

XXX

Two hours later teacher and student met each other at the at this time of day very busy Grimmauld Place. Fortunately nobody was interested into Severus who was wearing black and gloom as usual.

"What are you looking for?" Harry asked and was still confused about Severus' urgent owl.

"Dumbledore's pensieve. It has to be here…" Severus admitted and felt very uncomfortable.

Harry suddenly had an idea how to use this matter to his own purpose. Still they were busy making plans how to take Voldemort's wand from Malfoy Manor. But every plan would fail as long as they didn't know anything about the house.

"OK", he complied, "I will help you if you answer me a few questions in return and promise not to ask any questions."

Severus looked at Harry in confusion because he totally didn't know what this demand was all about. But because he knew he couldn't get before McGonagall's eyes again without the pensieve he had no choice but to agree.

Together they undid the protection spells and entered the house in a moment when nobody looked at them. Inside it was as gloomy as usual, Kreacher was nowhere to be seen.

To Harry's annoyance he had to realize that a simple 'Accio pensieve' didn't work in this house that was so full of dark and mysterious magic. So they had to search.

"What do you want to know?" Severus asked while they ascended the stairs to the room where he had slept.

"You know Malfoy Manor, don't you?" Harry murmured and opened a cupboard from where all sorts of things fell into his arms.

Severus nodded. "Indeed. Your friend Voldemort ran his headquarters there for more than two years."

The way Severus said 'your friend Voldemort' showed Harry clearly that it was for the better not to let him in on their plans.

"What do you want to do there?" Severus wanted to know.

Harry hoped to sound ingeniously. "If you were Lucius Malfoy and owned something very precious but dangerous – where would you keep it?"

Severus looked at Harry very intensely with his eyes narrowed which made the young man turn his head.

"May I ask what you are talking about?" he asked.

Harry opened another cupboard, much more careful than the last time to not being beaten down by its content again. In a corner he found the missing pensieve, but he kept this knowledge private for now.

"We agreed that you don't ask any questions, just answer some", he reminded the other man.

Severus found all of that very suspicious but it still didn't make any sense to him. That's why he gave him only a little hint.

"There's a room in the cellar which is secured by strong protection spells. Voldemort had claimed it for himself at that time being. I have no clue what he has hidden there. He made his closest circle protect this room", he reported.

"Do you know these spells? Could you tell me how to break them?" Harry asked intently while he already saw himself much closer to his goal.

Severus shook his head. "No, I've never been in this room. Most of the spells are from Lucius. If you want to know more you should ask him. He can easily be found these days – in Azkaban."

Harry was aware of the fact that it wouldn't make any sense to ask one of the Malfoys. They'd rather bite of their tongue than telling him anything.

"Do you think Voldemort knows them?" Harry pondered. Of course he knew that it wouldn't be useful to ask Voldemort because he definitely didn't want them to obtain his wand for him illegally.

"Maybe some, but surely not all of them", Severus replied. This became more and more suspicious.

"Bugger!" Harry mumbled and fetched the pensieve from the corner of the cupboard, "Thanks anyway! Here's your pensieve."

He handed it over to Severus who took it in relief. Having regained it saved him from lots of inconvenient questions.

"If you tell me what you're looking for at Malfoy Manor I will help you with the spells", he consented to help because he owed something to the young wizard.

"Severus", Harry replied with a sigh and rubbed his nose thoughtfully, "Believe me, you don't really want to know that."

"It's something about Voldemort, am I right?" Severus stated already knowing that he hit the spot.

Harry nodded and cursed himself again for not being able to lie.

"We need an item that belongs to Voldemort", he finally admitted.

"An item", Severus repeated in such a suspicious way that Harry was almost scared. He only nodded.

"I know it would be better not to ask because I'm sure to be able to sleep more peaceful if I don't know about it… I'm asking anyway. What item are we talking about?" Severus said so intensely that Harry felt a little reminded of the times at Hogwarts when the potions master had made his life so hard.

"It would really be better if I kept it private", the young wizard refused, but somehow knew that he would lose against Severus.

"So?" Severus remained tenaciously.

The teacher's look was so intense that Harry suddenly really felt like a student who had done something very bad.

"His wand", he gave in.

In Severus face there could be seen several emotions one by one, none of them positive. Harry scolded himself for having given in. But he wasn't able to stand a chance against Severus Snape who wanted to find out something implicitly.

"And what do you want to do with it?" Severus asked dangerously and looked at Harry in a way that surely had been able to kill somebody somewhen.

"Severus…" Harry said anxiously.

"Come out with it!" Severus urged him with a silent and controlled voice.

He absolutely was aware of what Harry and his friends were about to do, but he wanted to hear it from him.

"I just don't want it to fall into wrong hands, because the Malfoy's hands are surely wrong!" Harry tried to talk his way out frantically, but didn't think to have convinced the other man.

Severus still didn't look away from Harry who precautionally secured his mind with occlumency. He trusted his former teacher to a certain point but he didn't want to risk anything at the moment, and he never knew what Severus was about to do. At least Severus turned away and walked over to the window.

"Did he ask for it?" he asked after a few uncomfortable minutes of silence, trying to keep his temper.

Harry shook his head. "He doesn't want to have his wand back at all, but we think he's got a right…"

Severus spun round and looked at the young man full of anger. "And why, by all means, does he have this right?"

"Because he's a wizard, Severus!" Harry shouted at him because he really was fed up with being treated like a disliked school child.

"He was the Dark Lord!" Severus yelled wrathfully and looked as if he was going to transfigure Harry into a mouse any second.

"Right!" Harry yelled back, "He WAS the Dark Lord!"

Both men stared at each other, both so full of anger that they could jump out of their skins.

"He remembers! He knows who he is! He shouldn't have a wand!" Severus ranted and slammed his fist against the cupboard where Harry had found the pensieve in which was standing safely on a table at the wall now.

"That he remembers everything but still is a decent and genuine man tells me that he has to be able to do magic again! Nobody, not even you, has the right to deny this to him!" Harry shouted. He couldn't understand Severus' behavior at all.

Severus snorted, inhaled deeply and tried to calm down. Going on yelling at each other would bring them nowhere.

"Was it your idea?" he said much calmer.

"It was Hermione's idea", Harry admitted while he tried to calm down as well, "He himself didn't even try to use magic again until she fell off the ladder in the library a few days ago. He used magic in an instant and saved her life. Severus, please believe me, it's really alright."

Severus leaned back at the cupboard tiredly and sighed deeply while he brought himself to a decision.

"Well, Harry, you helped me with the pensieve, so I will help you with the wand", he gave in, "But only because I really appreciate your friendship. But there is one thing you should know – in case Voldemort gets into mischief again I will kill him without hesitation."

Because Harry was well aware of that fact he handed the pensieve over to Severus as a token gesture.

"I thank you", he said seriously, "I promise you will not regret helping me."

Harry wasn't able to describe how relieved he felt because of this conversations' result. With Severus on his side things would be by far easier.


End file.
